Harry Potter and the Master's Ball
by Mr. Chaos
Summary: Welcome to the Avalon Region. Here, children go to Hogwarts, the premiere school for inspiring trainers, where they learn how to train Pokemon. This year promises to be special, for Harry Potter, the destroyer of Voldemort, is coming to take his place among the future trainers and begin his Pokemon Journey. Book 1 in the Harry Potter: Pokemon Master series.
1. The Boy Who Would Catch'em All

[Little Surrey, 5 Miles of the Coast of the Avalon Region]

In a small house on a short street on the little island of Little Surrey there was a little cupboard. There was nothing overly fantastic about this cupboard and, if examined, it would be found that it was, in fact, quite like any other cupboard in any other home. It was not overly big or small, nor infected with termites, or even made of a strange, foreign wood.

What made this cupboard was so special was what it contained. Most cupboards might have old boxes or Christmas trees wrapped in garbage bags… but only this one held a boy. Harry Potter.

He wasn't a bad boy being punished, despite what his relatives might have believed. Of course, his relatives were not the best judges of characters, though Harry did not know this. All he had known was their rules, and thus assumed he must be bad for breathing too loudly or not leaving enough food for his overweight cousin to indulge in. No one else ever seemed to find it odd that only Harry was punished for such minor transgressions so the boy had come to believe that he must be bad and thus deserved to be shoved away in the cupboard.

Harry had lived on the island of Little Surrey for as long as he had known and during that time he had not a single memory that showed this Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia or cousin Dudley were wrong in their assessment of him. They called him bad because his parents had been horrible freaks who had allowed their own stupidity to get them killed. Petunia would tell Harry while he did his chores that his mother, Petunia's sister, had died because she had left Little Surrey and gone to the main land and become involved in freaky, horrible things. Uncle Vernon reasoned that his cruel words and actions were to drive out the influence Harry's DNA had on him.

"Being a freak is in your blood," Vernon had snarled more than once. "If you could just learn to be normal like us I wouldn't have to punish you!"

His punishments usually came when he dared to act 'freaky'. Harry had never really learned what exactly 'freaky' was; only that some of the things that set his uncle off involved using his imagination. He'd learned to be careful when playing with what few toys he had, lest his uncle burst feeling that Harry needed to be 'brought back to reality'.

Dudley, if he were smart enough to actually form an opinion that wasn't merely his own father's words echoed, would have admitted that he didn't know if Harry was bad or not… but he enjoyed bullying his smaller cousin. The overweight boy knew that if it weren't for the boy HE would be the target for the local bullies. Better to bully the smaller boy and thus find common ground with the other boys then be a target.

That was Harry's life: when he wasn't being bullied and abused by the very people that should be protecting him, he was locked away in a small cupboard, forgotten. It could be argued which fate was worst but in the end Harry suffered through both of them.

His Uncle Vernon talked about his genes… if his blood did offer him anything it was the ability to remain sane in a situation that should have driven most children mad.

Harry had always known life like this. He'd known nothing else.

But today, his 11th birthday, everything was about to change… and fate, which seemed to have had its attention on the boy since his birth, decided to take control once more.

~MC~MC~MC~

For a few moments, Harry had thought that the house was falling down on top of him. The great booming that had awoken him rattled the walls and left him looking at the ceiling in fear, waiting for it to collapse and bury him. He placed his small hands on the walls of his cupboard, as if he thought he could brace them, and waited for the end.

But then the banging stopped and silence rang that was more fear-inspiring than the booming rumble. Then the door to the cupboard was opened, blinding him. Harry blinked, his bright green eyes reduced to narrow slits as he tried to shield himself from the light. He brought up one of his arms in an attempt to block the offending light, only to feel meaty fingers wrap around his wrist and yank him from the cupboard.

Harry whipped his head about, trying to figure out just what was going on. He first caught sight of his Aunt, her lean form pressed against the wall, one hand pressed to her chest while the other rubbed against the blue floral wallpaper, as if she were searching for some secret passage. His cousin was still seated on the couch, pressing his body against the cushions, eyes wide in fright. Uncle Vernon was standing near the dining room, his face red like it got when he was berating Harry for being freaky.

But for the first time, Harry did not see rage in his uncle's eyes. Nor was it annoyance, disappointment, frustration or joy (though that was not directed at Harry; joy was reserved to a large rasher of bacon or a good pint). For the first time, Harry saw in his uncle's eyes an emotion the teen knew all too well: fear.

The apparent cause of this emotion was the large man that held his arm in his strong yet surprisingly gentle grasp. Harry had always thought his uncle was the biggest man in the world and Vernon did little to dissuade that belief, what with his constant bragging of how important he was and how he was a 'big fish in a small pond'. But Vernon looked like a tiny compared to the massive man that stood before Harry. His great bushy beard and long curly hair framed his round face, giving him a wild, untamed appearance. His clothing did little to do away with this impression; the giant's coat appeared to be made of 4 different types of jackets, hurriedly patched together to create something that could fit his massive frame. The long trousers he wore were flecked with mud and looking down Harry saw that the man had sullied the clean floor Harry had worked so hard on a few hours ago.

"'arry," the large man said, kneeling down and running his hands along the young boy's shoulders. There was a gentleness to him that seemed such a contrast to his large and frightful size. He looked at Harry with a soft smile, reminding the boy of a dark-haired Father Christmas. "Are ya ok?"

"I… I…" Harry stammered, startled by the tenderness being shown him. He couldn't remember ever being on the receiving end of such care. It had always been Dudley who had been coddled, asked if he was ok and given loving gestures. Never Harry. If the large man hadn't used his name, Harry would have thought the giant had confused him with his nephew.

His lack of speed when it came to answering the question caused the giant to turn on Vernon. "What be the meanin' of this?!" The giant stood up, keeping one large hand draped on Harry's shoulder. "Why was in there?" the man shouted, gesturing wildly at the cupboard. "Look at him… all skin and bones and scared of me! You lot were suppose to take care of 'im! Dumbledore-"

"That old man has no power here," Vernon snapped, his angry words a stark contrast to his nervous licking of his lips. "You… you know the rules!"

"Rules?" the man snapped, squeezing Harry's shoulder. "You speak to me of rules, little man?"

"You will be imprisoned!" Vernon screamed despite his panic. "They'll lock you away, you freak, and put down your little monster!"

A growl rolled through the house.

For the first time Harry looked down and saw that the large man was not the only guest. Vernon had not been left trembling by the large man but by the much smaller creature that stood between the man and Harry's uncle.

It was all at once comical and frightening. Pink like a little girl's toy, yet with the face of a frustrated pit bull, the bipedal canine growled at Vernon, its lower fangs dripping with saliva as it glared at the heavy-set man. Its stubby arms were curled, much like Dudley's when he was preparing to throw a punch, and it bounced on its feet slightly, causing Vernon to flinch every time it looked ready to leap at his throat.

"You… you get out of my house now!" Petunia screeched. "You get going and take that… that thing with you!" The pink dog-thing turned towards her and Petunia stumbled away, moving towards Dudley. Harry watched as his aunt seemed to waffle between moving to stand in front of her precious son or to move behind and use him as a human shield. "You know the rules… that beast is not allowed here!"

The large man lifted up his arm and Harry stared in confusion at the red and white ball the giant held. For a moment Harry thought that he was going to throw the ball at his aunt, but instead the man merely gave Petunia a curt nod.

"Snubbull, return." A beam of red light shot out of the ball, enveloping the pink beast. Harry watched, stunned, as the creature was turned into red energy as well and quickly returned to the ball, which the giant pocketed. "I'd 'oped we could 'ave 'andled this without me 'avin' to do that." He looked down at Harry, giving him a reassuring smile. "Prof. Dumbledore asked me to collect young 'arry… he's of age and it is time for him to begin his training."

Vernon stepped forward, his courage returning with the removal of the strange beast the man had called 'Snubbull'. He wildly gestured at the large man, who merely looked down at him with mild amusement, like an adult might indulge a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. "You listen here… I never wanted the boy but I took him under my roof out of respect for Petunia and her family. We've been working hard to ensure he doesn't turn into a freak like his parents-"

The large man's smile faded and his hand once more went for the red and white ball.

"Take him," Petunia said sternly. "You go with him and see your father's world. You see what he dragged your mother into… and what got him killed. Then you come back here, thankful for all we've given you." She looked down at Harry, disgust clearly written on her features. "But if you for one moment find yourself enjoying what they have to offer… I never want to see your face again."

Harry swallowed, suddenly of two minds. One part of him looked at the large man with his strange pink beast and saw him as a chance to escape a horrible life. The giant had showed him more kindness and respect then Harry had known in his entire time with the Dursleys. On the other… this had been his only home and he feared losing it.

"Come on now, 'arry," the giant said, pressing his large hand against the boy's shoulder blades and pushing him forward. Harry looked towards the cupboard but the large man shook his head. "Come on now…"

Harry nodded, casting a final glance at his relatives before allowing himself to be guided out of the house by the large man.

~MC~MC~MC~

Harry stared at the boat, biting his lip nervously. The large man hadn't said a word since they had left the Dursley's, leaving the boy to silently wonder how his life had so suddenly changed. Just an hour ago he had been in the cupboard, wondering if his aunt and uncle would remember to feed him, and now he was with a strange that commanded a weird pink beast and was directing him to get on a luxury yacht.

"I know ya 'ave a lot of question, 'arry," the large man said gently. "Your aunt and uncle should 'ave told ya about all this but… well… I don't rightly know why they, like everyone on this island are the way they are, but they don't like Pokemon and don't like to talk about'em."

"Pokemon?" Harry asked as the large man led him to a large bench on the yacht's main deck.

The large man settled onto the bench, which groaned in protest. He looked at Harry before slapping his forehead. "Blimey, me mum would twist me ear for such poor manners." The large man held out his hand. "Rubeus 'agrid."

"Harry Potter, but I suppose you know that, Mr. Agrid."

The large man smiled. "Not Agrid… 'agrid."

"Right, Agrid."

"No, Agrid." When the boy blinked in confusion the man scratched his beard, considering his words carefully. "'agrid… like 'arry." The boy smiled slightly, finally getting what HAGRID was getting at. "And ya don't need to call me 'Mister', 'arry. 'agrid will be fine."

Leaning back, Hagrid took out the red and white ball he'd used at the Dursley's, toying with it. The yacht blasted its whistle and began to chug away from the dock. Harry leaned forward, taking a moment to look upon the island that had been his home, before settling back down on the bench. It was hard to believe that he was leaving it behind. It was everything he had wanted and everything he had feared. His dreams of escaping his relatives clashed with the threats his aunt had made about casting him out if he didn't obey her every command. The boy leaned down, grasping his knees and taking several large gasps of air.

Hagrid, oblivious to Harry's internal conflict, held his ball up so the boy could more easily see it. "'arry… Little Surrey is a strange place. It was founded by people that 'ate Pokemon and don't trust'em. Not sure why; ya'd have to ask Prof. Dumbledore, but they don't 'llow 'em on the island, which is why you ain't ever really seen one." Hagrid paused, glancing over at Harry. "Ya don't even know what a Pokemon is, do ya?"

Harry shook his head.

Hagrid slapped his head again. "Sorry, 'arry… just so excited to see ya again that I ain't thinkin' clearly." Hagrid tapped the ball in his hand with his index finger. "This 'ere is a pokeball. We use it to transport Pokemon." Hagrid tossed the ball, which cracked open and sent out glowing red energy which expanded and transformed into the pink little creature. "And this be a Pokemon."

Harry pulled his legs up, eyes wide as the pink beast hurried over to him. It tilted its head to the side, watching him, before leaping up and licking his hand.

"Aw, don't be scared of Snubbull. 'e just be like me: looks all mean and gruff but he's just a sweetie."

"Snubbull!" the Pokemon declared, sitting down next to Harry and rubbing his head against the boy's side. The 11 year old awkwardly reached over and scratched the dog between the ears, earning a murmur of pleasure from him.

"Pokemon are living creatures, just like us, 'arry. 'umans and Pokemon work together. They live together, play together… Pokemon are our partners and we be theirs."

"Really?" Harry said, surprised.

"Really. That's why I find it so strange your relatives are so against Pokemon. They are wonderful creatures."

"How… how many are there?" Harry asked, smiling as Snubbull took a hold of Harry's free hand and began to sniff it.

"Well… don't rightly now. Seems like they are always finding new ones every day. When I was a boy there were a 100 or so but now…" Hagrid scratched his beard. "Now I'd say there are over 500."

"Do they all look like Snubbull?"

Hagrid laughed. "Well, other Snubbulls do, of course. There are lots of Snubbulls." Hagrid's Pokemon glowered for a moment and the large man smiled. "Don't worry, you're still the best of 'em all in my book!"

"Snub! Snubbull!"

"So… there are other ones though?" Harry asked. "Ones that look different than Snubbull?"

Hagrid nodded his large head quite rapidly. "Oh yes. There are big ones and little ones! There are Pikachus and Swellows and… and, well, more than I can remember." Hagrid wrapped an arm around Harry and gave the boy a hardy shake. "Don't ya worry about that now, 'arry! You'll learn all this soon enough, once we get you are own Pokemon and you begin your schoolin' . If ya be anythin' like your mum and da, you'll pick it up quick and be quite brilliant at it-"

"Schooling?" Harry asked. "My parents… a Pokemon of my… Mr. Hagrid, what-"

Hagrid smiled, leaning around so he could look Harry dead in the eye. "Your parents were Pokemon trainers, 'arry. Some of the best trainers in the world. And you are going to go to Hogwarts and learn to be a trainer as well."

"Oh," Harry said softly before his eyes rolled back in his head and he promptly fainted.

"'arry?" Hagrid said, nudging the unconscious boy. "'arry?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Pokemon. If you think I own them, then I have a bridge to sell you.

The idea behind this story is to take the world of Harry Potter and see what would happen if all the magic was removed and replaced with something else... in this case, Pokemon. The result will case events to change, destinies to alter, new allies to appear and new enemies to arise.

This will NOT be a direct adaptation of the books... mostly because I've never read them. Never seen the movies fully either. Instead, I did research, took notes, and then decided what to follow and what not to.

For those hoping Ash and the gang will appear... other than MAYBE a cameo it won't happen. This will focus on Harry and his friends interacting with pokemon, not Ash and Co ending up at Hogwarts.

Any suggestions on how to adapt canon or what Pokemon the characters should get will always be welcomed, just send me a message or a review. I am always happy to consider ideas and use them if they are good.


	2. Ollivanders in Galahad

[Galahad City, the Avalon Region]

Harry looked about him, his eyes opened wide out of fear he might miss something. Part of him was utterly afraid that the city would fade away, revealed to be nothing more than a dream he had come up with in the little cupboard.

"Careful now!" a foreman called out, directing a massive looking creature with a bright red nose (which reminded Harry of his uncle after a night of drinking) and bulging muscles. The Pokemon was holding a pair of concrete pillars, setting them in place so a duck-like Pokemon could add water to the concrete mix that had already been poured. "That's it… that's it! Good job!" The foreman, showing not an ounce of fear, walked up to the large Pokemon and patted it on the back. "Nice work, buddy!"

"Con… con dur!" the muscle-bound Pokemon declared.

"You ok, 'arry?" Hagrid asked, looking down at the boy with concern. "Ya need to sit down again?"

Harry shook his head. After his little fainting scene, Hagrid become apologetic and fretted over him like a mother bird after her chicks. Harry, embarrassed by such treatment, had assured Hagrid he was fine and that there was no need for the large man to carry him off the ship. The giant had smiled after a while and returned to telling Harry stories about the school they were headed towards and Pokemon and trainers, but truth be told it all went over Harry's head. It was like trying to read an entire novel in an hour and then being asked what punctuation the author used on page 213.

So Harry had decided to do as he always did when forced into situations without any real prep time: he went with the flow, nodding in the right places and doing his darnedest to avoid drawing attention to himself.

Of course, that was easier said than done. The moment he had stepped off the yacht he had been looking about, jaw dropped and eyebrows nearly lost in his mop of shaggy dark hair. One would have thought a million thoughts would have been racing through his head, but instead it was one single idea that took a firm grasp in his gray matter upon stepping foot in the Avalon Region.

'Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would hate this'.

All around him there were people and Pokemon working together, playing together, and just hanging out with each other. A fruit vendor who tried to get Hagrid to buy a bag of berries was joined in his hawking by a purple monkey Pokemon with what appeared to be a hand at the end of his tail. In the park Harry had passed there were toddlers giggling as a yellow and brown Pokemon used some sort of magic to make their toys fly in the air; the children's mothers were seated nearby, one stroking the head of a purple and yellow Pokemon that looked like a baby. An office worker was hurrying down the street, a weird metal Pokemon with magnets on its sides floating behind it, letting out pings.

"Come on, 'arry!" Hagrid said, holding the boy's hand as they made their way towards a large red and white building. The front of it had a large pokeball symbol above the door; directly below it were three other symbols: A medical cross and a shopping bag flanked a large letter P with two slashes through the it.

"What is this place?" Harry asked, struggling to keep up with the large man. At least Hagrid wasn't doing it on purpose; Aunt Petunia would always yank on his arm, even when he was running, just to get him to move father. Hagrid didn't realize that his long strides were hard for the boy to keep up with.

"This be a Pokemon Center, 'arry," Hagrid said, leading the boy into the building. Though not as crowded as the street, the Center was still quite busy. It looked, to Harry's young eyes, like some architect had taken a hospital, a jewelry store and a bank and smushed them together. There was a small waiting area to the left where a few teenagers were gathered, looking over some magazines. Just past this was a counter where a pretty red haired woman in a nurse's uniform was happily handing a man back some pokeballs. To his right a blond man in a long brown duster with a red hood was standing with a gray elephant-like Pokemon, passing over a credit card and accepting camouflage-colored pokeballs.

But these areas were just little offshoots. The entire back wall was dominated by a long row of tellers' stations where people of all ages lined up. Each teller was dressed in a green button up shirt and wore identical ties with the same strange P logo on them.

"Bankers," Hagrid said as he made his way to one of the shorter lines; above the teller there was a sign that read 'First Time Accounts'.

Harry glanced at the tellers, surprised that at least 3 of them looked near identical: curly black hair and a black goatee. Each of these tellers were also shorter than Harry, standing on a special platform as they worked.

Seeing his confused look, Hagrid smiled. "Round 'ere, there are a few families that not only look alike but also are skilled at a certain job. See that there lass tendin' to the Sandshrew?" Harry didn't know what a 'sandshrew' was, but he did see the nurse looking over a tan creature. "That there is one of the Joy girls... most of'em end up becoming nurses." Hagrid looked around before shrugging. "Ain't no Jennys around... them lot end up in the Aurors."

"Aurors?" Harry asked.

"Police officers. There are also the Don Georges… they run the fighting tournaments. Now, for the banks, those end up bein' run by the Josephs. Nice fellas, just don't make a comment about them bein' on the wee side... they have nasty little tempers." Hagrid reached down and rubbed his shin, it obvious that he had learned that painful lesson first hand.

"Name?" Banker Joseph said when their turn came.

"'arry Potter. We're 'ere-"

"I know why you are here," Joseph said coolly. "You wouldn't be in this line if you weren't here to get a credit card. If you aren't here for one then get the heck out of line and stop wasting my time." When neither moved, Joseph quickly began to tap some commands into his computer and before long a small plastic card popped out, which he handed to Harry. "Do you know the restrictions?"

"N-no sir," Harry said.

Joseph sighed. "You have a set number of pokeballs that you can purchase every month. As a first year you should currently be at five. There is a four potion quota. No repels or escape ropes, and don't even think about trying to get a great ball or a super potion until you meet the requirements. Oh, and vitamins are off-limits." The banker looked skyward, ticking off more points rapidly. "You are allowed the standard school uniform but any extras will have to wait till next semester and even then there is a spending limit that the tailors will let you know about. Same with you Dex; nothing but what is required for class.

"Let us see... according to this," Joseph tapped a few keys, "your parents set you up to get an upgraded backpack. No bikes or skateboards but you shouldn't be needing that, since you aren't old enough to run the Gauntlet." A few more key strokes brought up the information Joseph had been looking for. "Hmmm... well, it looks like your parents really wanted to set you up right, Mr. Potter." Joseph looked up at Hagrid and smirked. "Full access to Ollivanders."

Hagrid nodded his great head. "Course James and Lily would want Harry to go there!" Under his breath, he muttered, "Should have gotten one of the Potter starters, though... mercy be on-" Looking down, Hagrid realized Harry was hanging on every word. "Right... we'll just be on our way."

The banker merely waved them away, shouting "NEXT!" as a chubby little boy came up with a woman that appeared to be his grandmother.

"Aren't we going to get my things, Hagrid?" Harry asked as they bypassed the Pokemart desk.

"Aye, 'arry, but not 'ere. Pokecenters are mostly for travelers and such. We're gonna head to Diagon Alley to get ya all squared away." The large man frowned, wondering if he was forgetting something, only to shrug and lead Harry back onto the street.

~3 Hours Later...~

Harry remembered Dudley and his friends watching a movie about a girl who got caught in a twister. He hadn't been able to actually watch it with them, choosing instead to hide around the corner and sneak glances before Aunt Petunia had burst in, shouting about how the film was awful and giving Dudley money to go get ice cream instead.

The sight of the farm house being flung about in the storm kept flashing in the boy's mind as Hagrid led him down Diagon Alley. It symbolized his emotions quite well.

Never had Harry received so many things at once, and never had they been new and solely for him. At Madam Malkin's Gear For All Environments Harry had found himself the center of attention as a group of saleswomen let out little awws as they helped him try on different shirts and pants. Hagrid had tried to explain to them that Harry's credit card wouldn't allow him to pay such things like waterproofing on the gray jacket that he was told was standard at Hogwarts, nor the running shoes that the saleswomen proclaimed would let him dash through tall grass.

"Nonsense!" One of the women had proclaimed. "We'll figure out a way around those regulations... it's the least we can do for the Boy-Who-Lived!"

After receiving similar treatment when they had gone to get his backpack (which, to Harry's surprise, contained the same mass shrinking devices as pokeballs, thus allowing him to shove his new set of clothes inside without even making it bulge) and at Flourish and Blotts, Harry had asked Hagrid why they kept calling him the Boy-Who-Lived.

"... best let Dumbledore explain, 'arry," Hagrid had said, before directing his charge towards the Pokeball Shop to get his supplies.

Despite all the new information that threatened to overload his mind, Harry had found the trip quite enjoyable. He loved his new outfit especially; the saleswomen had said that they'd never seen a child so excited to try on a pair of pants, a white t-shirt and a pair of running shoes. Of course, they didn't realize that all of Harry's clothing were Dudley's hand-me-downs, which were normally filthy, full of holes, and stained with old blood… usually Harry's.

"Bloody 'ell!" Hagrid suddenly exclaimed, pulling Harry from his musings. He looked up at the large man, who was pulling his beard in agitation. "Can't believe I bloody well forgot!"

"Hagrid?" Harry asked.

The giant man looked down and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "'arry, I need to 'ead back to the Pokecenter and pick up somethin' for Prof. Dumbledore. Normally we'd go together but we are runnin' out of time... do you think you can manage in Ollivander's by yourself?"

Harry licked his lips, forcing himself to nod while silently repeating in his mind over and over that Hagrid wasn't going to try to abandon him like Uncle Vernon had that one time at the grocery store.

"That's a good lad," Hagrid said, patting his shoulder. "Now... go on and get ya Pokemon."

Harry blinked, eyes going wide as Hagrid's message registered through the fear. His own Pokemon! One of those fantastic animals was going to be his? Not Dudley's or some other boy but his? He'd seen how everyone worked and played with their Pokemon and the boy felt his heart clench at the thought of getting his own Pokemon to call his own.

Nodding a bit more firmly, Harry turned and hurried into the shop directly before him, a grin threatening to break his face.

Ollivander's Pokemon Emporium gave off the impression that the owner had begun with the idea of owning a curio shop before suddenly doing a 180 and turned it into a pet store. The floor was littered with eggshells that crunched every time Harry took a step. The tables and shelves looked to be a hundred years old and were lined with all sorts of gizmos, do-dads and thingamabobs. On Harry's right there was a wall covered with photos of different men and women standing next to Pokemon of a wide variety. On the opposite wall there were rows and rows of card catalogs, each labeled with strange titles like "GOLDENROD 12" and "ABYSMAL RUINS"

"Harry Potter."

The boy let out a yelp, turning to find an old man standing behind him. The gentlemen was dressed in a lavender long sleeve dress shirt that was half tucked in and a pair of jeans worn at the knees. On his belt there hung six miniaturized pokeballs, though these ones were a bright pink instead of red and white. His white hair was quite frizzy and stuck up in tuffs as if he had been gripping it in his fists. He looked down at Harry over his nose, smiling as though he knew some secret he was dying to tell.

"Yes... I'm Harry Potter," Harry said softly. He still wasn't use to people knowing his name and wanted to ask them why they seemed to taken by him.

"You look so much like your mother," Mr. Ollivander (for it was clear to Harry it could be no one else) said quietly, more to himself than the boy. "Not in the face or the hair... your father's genes are strong there... but it is your eyes... and your spirit. Timid, unsure... but a fire and a strength that is just waiting to be released. She was scared too, her first time, but she didn't stay scared. You'd be best to remember that... as you will face many tests, just as her."

"You... you knew my mum?" Harry asked, his tone almost pleading. All he had ever heard about his mum had been his aunt's rantings that she had abandoned the family and that if she had just stayed home everything would have been so much better.

"Torchic," Ollivander said to himself, his eyes glazing over in thought. "Level 5... a spirited little chick. That was the first sign. The last one I ever gave out... the family that bred them for me died during the war, killed because they let them be used by 'lesser families' and now none of my regulars can find any wild ones... such a shame. Still... your mother and that Pokemon were quite a good fit."

Mr. Ollivander leaned down, cupping his hand over his mouth as if he were afraid someone might be listening in. "That is the trick though, you must know that. The trainer doesn't pick the Pokemon... the Pokemon picks the trainer. So many of youngsters think they can just pick out a tough looking Pokemon or one who had a relative win a battle against the Elite Four... but it doesn't work that way. Pokemon must trust you and you them, for you rely upon each other. You give them food and care and they in return battle in your name. How can there be any trust if you simply pick one at random without thinking about its needs?"

Mr. Ollivander shook his head and made his way over to one of the tables, picking up a device that looked like a cross between a blood pressure sleeve and a tv remote. He suddenly fell to the ground, grabbing Harry's ankle and ripping his shoe off before placing the sleeve over the boy's leg, almost to the knee. he touched a few buttons on the remote, which let out a few melodious pings before he quickly tore the cuff off and began to measure Harry's fingers using a spool of tape. Harry nervously pulled his shoe back on as Mr. Ollivander consulted some notes.

"Hmmm... yes, yes... let us start simple, shall we?" Mr. Ollivander hurried over to one of his curio cabinets and pulled out a pokeball. "A Lv 5 female Hoothoot." He placed the ball in Harry's hand and the boy yelped when it bounced against his palm before jumping back into Ollivander's grasp. "Yes, I thought as much. A bit too on the nose, I suppose. Perhaps in a few years. Let us see. Perhaps something a bit more advanced." He ran over to a table and lifted up a glass cover to reveal several pokeballs. "A Lv 8 male Pikachu!"

Harry caught the ball, only to do a little jig when a few low watts of electricity zapped him. It was no worse than a static shock but it was enough to startle him. Ollivander ran over and took the ball, replacing it in the case. "Hmmm... that one was for a hero... but I see you aren't quite the hero it needs right now." He went over to his card catalog and began to yank out drawers, manically sifting through the contents of one. "Let us see... ah, perhaps a touch of destiny!" He darted behind a desk and pulled out a camouflage-colored poekball. "This one was brought in by Jack Kenway himself not a few hours ago." Harry didn't even have time to ask who Jack Kenway was before Ollivander plopped the ball in his hand. " He said it was Girafarig... lv 6 male."

This ball felt warm to the touch and Mr. Ollivander rubbed his hands in delight as it began to dance in Harry's palm. The old man's smile fell when the pokeball stopped and just laid their without a single twitch.

"You... I have not had such a tough customer in quite some time. Any other provider might turn you away in disgust... but not I! I relish the challenge!" Mr. Ollivander grasped Harry's head and looked him in the eye, tilting the boy's head back and forth and side to side. "Could it be? No, no it could not. It simply isn't possible and only a madman would think that was a good idea!" The old man suddenly grinned. "Let's try it."

Harry, with utter trepidation, followed Mr. Ollivander as he made his way to a bookcase. The Pokemon Provider pulled on a dusty blue tome and the shelf moved, revealing a wall safe. Spinning the dial several times, Mr. Ollivander opened the safe's door and pulled from within a black pokeball with silver trim.

The ball leapt from his fingers and struck Harry in the chest, making him yelp. There was a flash of red and the boy looked down in surprise at the Pokemon that had emerged. At first the boy was utterly confused; the ball looked so grim and dark and the little brown Pokemon that had emerged looked so happy.

His worries dissipated the moment the little Pokemon leapt up, forcing Harry to hug it as it licked his cheek with its rough tongue.

"A lv 2 male Eevee," Ollivander said softly, watching as the Pokemon wiggled around to find the best spot in Harry's arms. "One of the rarer types; almost impossible to find it in the wild. Many trainers want to have one due to evolutionary line."

"Evolution?" Harry asked. Hagrid had explained a bit about Pokemon and how they evolved with time and experience.

"Indeed," Ollivander said, reaching down to stroke Eevee's head. "It can evolve eight different way; the only Pokemon to do so. There are many breeders who seek it out."

Harry swallowed, looking down at the Eevee and feeling a sudden burst of dread. So many times in his short life he had believed he would finally get something of his own, only to have it snatched away by his relatives. It appeared that the furry little animal in his arms was just another thing he longed for that would be snatched away.

"I… I don't think I can afford it. The banker said I had full access to your shop but-"

Ollivander waved his hand, already grabbing Harry's credit card (how he had known it was in Harry's jacket pocket, the boy didn't know). "Even if you didn't I would let you have this one. It is clear you were meant to have this Eevee and I could not call myself a Pokemon Provider if I took him away." Mr. Ollivander suddenly got a faraway look in his eye. "Perhaps… perhaps this is my chance to make up to you my small part in all that happened…"

"Sir?" Harry asked softly.

"The last Eevee I provided to a trainer was this one's father. A powerful Pokemon… and a powerful trainer. I knew they would do amazing things… and they did… they did amazing things… terrible things… but amazing…"

Before Harry could ask what the old man meant he felt a thump on his shoulder and turned to find Hagrid standing there, grinning ear-to-ear. "I see ya got a Pokemon, 'arry! And it is a right cute one, too. Like me Snubbull, I would say." Hagrid turned Harry towards the door, the boy twisting his head to catch a final look of Mr. Ollivander, who was rubbing his hands together and muttering to himself. "Personally, I have always preferred cute Pokemon. Take a Graveller… now that is a cutie!"

"I'm so sorry," Mr. Ollivander whispered as Harry was led out of the shop.

* * *

Author's Notes: A few quick comments.

1) I told one reviewer that I would not be mentioning levels. I lied slightly... as you can see, I did mention them here but this will be the only time I do so. I needed a way to describe the pokemon and this was the best way to do it.

2) I went through a long debate about what Harry's Pokemon would be. First it was a Natu, then Eevee, then a Hoothoot, then a Pidgy, then back to Natu till finally Eevee. I decided that the idea of great potential was what was needed here. I want each character's pokemon to reflect aspects of their nature and make sense for the character.

3) As hinted by Hagrid and Ollivander, starter pokemon are a big deal and I will cover them soon enough. I will be interested to see what people think about them.

4) Jack Kenway is the first of many original characters that will be mentioned. If there is interest, I can post a bio of all the OCs as they appear in the author's notes, just let me know.

5) Finally, the Bankers are my answer to the goblins. I knew I couldn't have them... but luckily Pokemon came up with families of identical women (and now men, thanks to the Don George family) so Banker Josephs will appear several times.

As always, review! I answer every review and will answer questions!


	3. The Loud One, The Shy One, The Smart One

[Galahad Station]

Harry looked at all the different trains and swallowed, wondering if this was such a good idea. The one nice thing about the Dursleys, if one could claim there was anything nice about them, was the fact that Harry didn't have to make choices. Everything was set for him, sometimes quite rigidly so, and he was expected to follow what his Aunt and Uncle commanded of him. The reward for going against their instructions was quite painful and Harry had learned to follow their directions to a T… even if they still chose to hurt him for 'perceived' slights.

But he wasn't with the Dursleys anymore. Hagrid had taken him away and brought him to a wonderful new place with all new sights and sounds. It was magical and amazing and awe-inspiring… and yet also bewildering and terrifying for the small boy. And now Harry was standing in the middle of it and finding that everything, good and scary, were coming at him all at once.

The large man had brought Harry to the station and told him to wait for his train. When the boy had asked him where he was going Hagrid had told him that he had more work to do for Professor Dumbledore and that Harry would meet him again at Hogwarts.

Of course Hagrid hadn't taken into account that he was dealing with a rather sheltered 11 year old who had never been to a train station before, let alone RODE a train. Most children in Avalon by the age of 11 had learned how to take care of themselves and could get on trains or spend a day or two away from home without having issues. Avalon, unlike Little Surrey, held the notion that children did better exploring than they did being sheltered. Thus, Hagrid's choiced would not have been a bad one and any adult would have made it… though that did not help Harry, who was ill-prepared to make this journey by himself. That was why he now was looking about Galahad Station with wide eyes, his fingers grasping the straps of his backpack so tightly his knuckles were white.

There were just so many trains and so many destinations! Places like Tristan and Lucan and Tor and Dagonet… each one had their own schedule and their own train. Some had more than one! Harry had no idea which train would take him to Hogwarts. He didn't want to get on the wrong one and end up in an even stranger place… with stranger people and-

"Ompf!"

Harry fell back, nearly tumbling to the ground save for the strong hand that caught him. He trembled, waiting to be struck; Uncle Vernon had drilled it into his head to watch where he was going, lest he embarrass the family and make them look like clods.

"Hey now, you ok son?" Harry opened his eyes slowly and found himself looking at the kindest face he'd ever looked upon. The man before him was big, not as much as Uncle Vernon but not thin like Harry. But his face wasn't at all like his uncle's; this man was clean-shaven, with red hair and an open jovial way about him. He wore a worn jacket with a wild red and purple lining and a dress shirt that was clearly 20 years out of date. Harry remembered seeing a clown dressed like that at one of Dudley's birthday parties.

The boy nodded his head, remembering what his uncle had told him about talking to strangers. _"They will hurt you and take you away to a horrible place. All you should be concerned with is this family."_

"Son, are you ok?" the red-haired man asked again.

Harry blinked, a thought occurring to him: Hagrid had proven that his Uncle was wrong… about a lot of things. His uncle had lied about Pokémon and Harry's parents and… and maybe he had lied about strangers too. The boy glanced at the man and, for the first time since he could remember… disobeyed his uncle's orders.

"Yes… I'm just… lost," Harry said shyly.

The man knelt down and smiled, releasing the boy's shoulder. "Well, I'm guessing from your jacket that you are going to Hogwarts this year?" The boy shifted before finally nodding. "Well, my son is going for the first time too…and my other boys already go to the school." Standing up, he offered his hand to Harry. "If you want, I can take you to the train."

Harry, after several moments, took the man's hand and followed him as they made their way through the station. The boy found it easier to get about with an adult, as people that might have overlooked him and bumbled into him gave the man plenty of space to move about.

"What's your name, son?" the man asked.

"Harry."

"Well, nice to meet you, Harry. Is this your- I'm Arthur Weasley, by the way- is this your first time at the station?" Harry nodded. "Thought so… it can be a bit overwhelming, can't it?" The boy nodded again. "Well, let me give you some tips, ok? Those men in the blue uniforms are conductors… if you are ever lost again you go up to them. It is their job to help you." Turning left, Arthur led Harry down a hallway. "Hogwarts has its own train that is separate from all the rest, so you don't have to worry about pushing through the crowd. When you come here next year just go down this hallway and… well, you see, here we are!"

Harry looked about him in wonder. The hallway had opened up onto a platform full of students dressed as he was, all chatting and talking and hugging their parents goodbye. There were tight knots of older teens laughing, couples hugging each other and kissing and… Harry scrunched his nose up at that and turned away, watching instead as two older boys were giving commands to their Pokémon. Hagrid had explained a little about Pokémon battles but not enough for Harry to really understand what the teens were doing, other then having their plant-like beasts tackle each other.

"Arthur!" a heavy-set woman called out, waving her arms. "Arthur, where were you? You almost missed seeing the boys off!"

Arthur and Harry walked over, the man releasing the boy's hand only to gently reach around and pat him on the back the moment the boy attempted to dart away, fearing he was intruding on something. The heavy set woman concerned him a bit but clearly Mr. Weasley wasn't scared and she wasn't directing any anger at him.

"Sorry, Molly, but I found this guy wandering around all confused and I had to help him."

Molly tried to remain stern but Harry could see the smile slowly forming on her lips. She reminded Harry a bit of the nurse from the Pokecenter, only heavier and older. If ever there was an opposite of his aunt, it was Molly Weasley: heavy, friendly, quick to anger but just as quick to forgive and one that found it hard to hold a grudge. She was dressed in a simple shirt and jeans and Harry noticed she had a few pokeballs on her belt just like Hagrid.

"Well, it is a good thing you ran into him," Molly said. "Hello there…"

"Harry," the boy said.

"Harry," Molly said with a smile. "I'm Arthur's wife…" there was a squawk of protest behind her and the woman rolled her eyes, "and I'm in charge of our brood. GEORGE, FRED!"

Molly whipped around and Harry spied two red heads hurrying over, identical looks of angelic goodness upon their faces; of course, they were in fact identical twins so it wasn't that hard for them to share a look. They were a few years older than him and were dressed in similar clothing, though they had on red caps and their jackets were trimmed with red on the shoulders and cuffs. Emblazed on the left side of their jackets was a small emblem featuring a fiery red dog-like creature on a field of gold.

Behind them Harry could just make out another redhead, though this one had a look of utter annoyance and frustration on his face. He was also, strangely, standing ramrod straight while his right eye twitched.

"Oh yes, wonderful mother?" Fred asked.

"Did you two paralyze Percy?" Molly asked without preamble.

George let out a gasp. "How could you think we'd do such a thing, beautiful mother?"

"Wonderful mother," Fred corrected.

"Wonderfully beautiful mother!" George amended. "How could you assume for one moment that we would ever harm a hair on Percy's point little head?"

"He is our brother and you know how much we care about him!" Fred exclaimed.

"Indeed, good brother."

"Indeed indeed."

"Indeed indeed... indeed."

Molly merely glowered at them before grabbing them each by the ear. The twins yelped as she forced them to spin around. Harry stared in surprise; the twins' backpacks were opened and two small yellow Pokémon were poking out. Like the twins these two Pokémon resembled each other greatly, though one had red coloring on its ears and cheeks while the other had blue. The two mouse Pokémon were wiggling their fannies and smacking them, giggling as they did so.

"Ahem," Molly said sternly.

The two Pokémon blinked, realizing they were no longer facing Percy. They slowly turned and weakly smiled at Molly, giving her a wave.

"Min min?" Fred's Pokémon said.

"Plusle?" George's added.

Molly leaned in close, her nose touching Minun's. "Back... in... your... pokeballs." The two electric Pokémon nodded, quickly diving back in their balls. "The cost of the paralyze heal is coming out of your allowance, boys."

Fred and George nodded, hugging their mother and father and running to the train before Molly could decide on a worst punishment.

"Now then," Molly said, pulling out a spray bottle from her purse and spritzing it on Percy. Her son sputtered before brushing his jacket clean of invisible lint, adjusting the collar before giving his parents an overly formal goodbye. "Where is Ron?"

Arthur looked around, before spotting the boy. "Ron, Ginny!" Harry backed away when a red-haired boy his age and a younger girl with equally fiery hair hurried over from the magazine stand they have been browsing through. His time with Dudley and his friends had taught young Harry that kids his age tended to punch first and ask questions later. "Ron, this is Harry. This is his first year at Hogwart's too."

"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed, wiping his hand on his jeans before grasping Harry's and giving it a firm shake. Harry was still cringing a bit, wondering when the taunts and attacks would come, but Ron merely smiled and began to babble on happily about Hogwarts.

"Ron, come here," Molly said, kneeling down and giving her youngest son a hug. "Now, you go and learn a lot and make your father and me proud."

"You are presenting the Weasleys, son, so I expect you to work hard," Arthur said.

"So don't act like Fred and George!" Ginny called out, earning a laugh from Ron and a half-stern glance from her parents.

"Harry, is there anyone to see you off?" Arthur asked.

"No sir," Harry said, looking at his shoes. "My... my aunt and uncle kinda... they don't like..."

Harry never got to finish, as he suddenly found himself enveloped in a hug. "Everyone needs a hug before they go to Hogwarts," Molly said in his ear. "It's a tradition." He swallowed, tensing for just a moment, before mimicking her actions and hugging her back.

"Ron, this is Harry's first time taking a train, so why don't you help him out?"

"Cool!" Ron said, beaming at the thought of getting to play guide. He was use to having his brothers always outshining him and making him feel like he didn't know anything. A chance to guide his new friend made the red head giddy with delight. "Come on, Harry! I want to get a good compartment!"

Harry barely had time to wave goodbye to the Weasleys before Ron yanked him towards the train.

~MC~MC~MC~

Harry smiled as he stared out the window. The bullet train was racing along the countryside, making the scenery a blur as it blasted past trees and small towns on its way towards Hogwarts. The trip was supposed to take roughly 3 hours.

The first half of the trip had been, to Harry's surprise, quite fun. Ron's enthusiasm was contagious and though Harry didn't really get half of the things the boy was talking about he couldn't help but grin and nod and laugh at all Ron was talking about. Though the red head could tire even the most hyper of children with his boundless energy and excitement he was quite a fun traveling companion.

Ron had shown him all around the train. There was a dining car with a snack bar where students could grab treats (the boys had each selected a few cookies; to Harry they were the best food he'd ever eaten), several common area cars where students could mingle, an empty battle car (even if it hadn't been they couldn't enter till they were 14) and car full of computers for students (Harry hadn't understood what Ron had meant by 'switching up their team' but didn't want to press his new friend).

After the tour they had found a compartment in the rear of the train to call their own. Gorged on cookies, they'd swapped stories about their lives and Harry had marveled at Ron's description of his home. It turned out Mr. Weasley was the gym leader of Tor Town, which was just a few miles away from Galahad City.

"You mean he runs a gym?" Harry asked, turning away from the window. "Like with treadmills and stuff?" Harry remembered about a year ago Aunt Petunia had taken Dudley to a gym after his PE teacher had complained about the boy's weight. His cousin had lasted 2 days before telling his aunt he'd rather just go on his own without her hovering; Petunia had agreed, never realizing Dudley was taking the money she gave him and using it at a local arcade.

Ron raised an eyebrow at that. "What? No! Ain't you never heard of a gym before?" When Harry shook his head Ron huffed. "Have you been living under a rock or something?"

Harry slouched in his seat, shoulders slumped. He didn't like the way Ron was teasing him, as it reminded too much of the bullies he'd dealt with in the past.

Ron, seeing Harry growing upset, opened his mouth to apologize, only to be cut off by the door to their cabin being thrown up.

"Are you two jerks?" a bushy haired girl asked with a huff.

"Huh?" Harry said just as Ron rambled, "I was going to apologize!"

"Flora doesn't think they are jerks," a shy, pudgy who was standing behind the girl said. In his arms he was holding a squad green lizard-like Pokémon with a green bulb on its back. The boy idly stroked the Pokémon's head and the creature rumbled happily. "She thinks they are nice." The boy leaned around the girl and waved. "Hi Ron."

"Hey Neville!" Ron said, though not with his usual boisterous energy. "I would hope Flora would think I'm nice… I've given her enough treat over the years." He slid to the side and Neville sat down next to him, while the bushy-haired girl sat next to Harry. Ron wasn't thrilled with having a girl in his compartment (being at between the ages of 'Girls are icky!' and 'Girls are the greatest things ever!') but he knew his mother would have a field day if he was rude to her. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Hermione," Neville said. "I met her in the dining car." Hermione held out her hand and after a moment Ron shook his. "Where we met Draco." Ron scowled at that.

"You've dealt with the charming boy too?" Hermione said glibly.

"Unfortunately," Ron said. "I'm guessing he is the jerk in question?" Hermione nodded.

"This is Ron Weasley," Neville said. "His father is the Tor Town Gym Leader."

"Wow," Hermione said in surprise. "He uses normal types, right?" Ron nodded his head, his head held a bit higher that someone was impressed that his dad was a gym leader. The Weasley family was seen as being a bit low of the food chain, as most gym-battling trainers started their journey in Tor Town. That meant Mr. Weasley tended to avoid using his stronger Pokémon and used younger and weaker ones; it gave the impression that the Weasley family were not that strong and were the lowest of the gym leading families. The fact that his mother and father did not flaunt their wealth (and donated much of it to needy families in Tor Town), and the belief was almost firmly held by most people in Avalon. It annoyed Ron to no end but there was little he could do about it.

"Glad someone knows about gyms," Ron groused, gesturing towards Harry. "Harry here doesn't know anything about them."

Harry nodded gently. "My aunt and uncle really… didn't believe in using Pokémon. I don't think they'd like me talking to you." Before the others could say anything Harry plastered a smile on his face. "But they aren't here, are they?"

The boys grinned while Hermione merely shook her head with good humor. "Well, you came to the right place!" Ron declared, wrapping an arm around Neville, who blushed and shrank away slightly. "Neville's gram and my dad are both gym leaders, so we can tell you a lot!"

"Are you two friends?" Hermione asked.

Neville looked down at Flora, scratching her under the chin and making her mumble in delight. "Well… all the gym leaders know each other, so my gram and Mr. Weasley-"

"Course we are!" Ron said, flashing Neville a smile, which the boy returned after a moment.

"So… what is a gym leader do?" Harry asked.

Ron smiled, squaring his shoulders as he began his lesson. "Every region has eight gym leaders in its major towns. Trainers challenge these gyms and earn badges, which allow them to go to Victory Road and challenge the Elite Four."

Harry's brow furrowed. "I thought we were going to go to school and learn about Pokémon. Hagrid didn't say anything about Gym battles."

"Er… yeah," Ron said, shifting a bit. "Well…"

Hermione huffed. "His aunt and uncle never taught him about Pokémon, Ron… of course he isn't going to know about Hogwarts and training and all that." Ignoring Ron's squawks that he was 'doing fine on his own', Hermione began to lecture. "When children turn 11, they are given several choices. Some decide to take their first Pokémon and travel the road, battling wild Pokémon and challenging gym leaders like Ron's dad. They are all really tough and a lot of trainers never even make it past their first few gyms." The red head's anger dissipated with Hermione's words about his father; unlike most she didn't sneer or laugh when talking about Arthur Weasley. "Another option is to apprentice under a gym leader. That means you have to use Pokémon that are the same type of the leader's Pokémon. They, in turn, teach you how to battle so that you can, when you are old enough, become a professional trainer or start a gym or dojo of your own."

Harry turned towards his red-headed friend. "So, if I were to apprentice under your dad, I'd have to use… uh…"

"Normal Pokémon," Ron said. "And if you worked with Madam Longbottom you'd learn to use grass Pokémon." Neville nodded in agreement, reaching into his bag and pulling out a squirt bottle filled with a strange purple liquid, which Flora happily began to suck on like a baby. Harry found it odd that Neville didn't keep Flora in her pokeball but thought better than to ask why; this was the longest he'd gone talking to children his own age without being hit or mocked and he didn't want to drive them away.

"Still other people don't even bother with gyms," Hermione said, noting the sour look Ron shared with Neville and ignoring it. Leave to Gym Kids to feel like Gyms were the only way to go. "Some do jobs like breeding Pokémon-"

"Gym leaders do that," Ron stated rather proudly. "That's how me and Neville got our Pokémon!"

"Yes," Hermione said, a touch annoyed, "but you don't HAVE to be a gym leader to be a breeder." Ron accepted this and allowed her to continue. "Others become doctors or nurses, sometimes officers..."

"My mom was a Pokémon Ranger," Neville said softly, hugging Flora a bit closer.

"Oh, and there are Pokémon Trackers like Johto Jack!" Ron said excitedly. "They go out in the wild and discover new Pokémon!"

"And some people don't even do jobs that are focused on Pokémon. Some are construction workers or bakers or farmers." She smiled. "My mom and dad are dentists."

"Ok," Harry said, digesting this info. "So… where does Hogwarts come into play?"

Ron spoke up before Hermione could continue. "It gives us a leg up!" The boy was bouncing in his seat in delight. Even though he had known he was going to Hogwarts since he was old enough to understand what it was, it still filled him with delight that he was going to the famous school. His brothers had filled his head with tales of adventures and he wanted to have some of his own. "Instead of having to go on the road and train in the forests and stuff or apprenticing under gym leaders, we can go to Hogwarts and learn about Pokémon. They teach you everything and when you graduate you can instantly go and battle the Elite Four and enter major tournaments!"

Hermione shook her head. "Hogwarts does more than that!" She turned to Harry, rolling her eyes. "Hogwarts gives you a more rounded education. You'll be able to learn how to care for Pokémon and find them, how to create your own supplies-"

"And battle!" Ron said, rubbing his hands together. "Everybody knows Pokémon who are owned by trainers offer you better experience than wild Pokémon."

"And battle," Hermione said with a sigh. "But while some go there like Ron because they want to be professional trainers, others go so they can prepare for their jobs outside of school."

Neville nodded. "I'm going to take over the gym in Lucan City when I turn 18. That means I have to understand not just how the gym works but also how to raise Pokémon and manage the business."

"And I don't know what I want to do," Hermione said. "But I'm going to figure it out. I'm the first person in my family that is going to Hogwarts… my parents saved since I was a baby so I could go and I am going to make them proud."

"I'm sure you will," Harry said with a slight smile.

"What about you, mate?" Ron asked. "What are you going to do?" His brow furrowed. "For that matter, how are you able to afford Hogwarts?"

"Ron!" Hermione snapped. "That is so rude!"

"But it's a good question!" Ron complained. "His aunt and uncle hate Pokémon so I can't see them coughing up the pokedollars…"

Before the two of them could bicker further, the door to their cabin opened. The four turned and Harry noticed Hermione and Ron both become red-faced at the sight of the blond boy who was watching them coolly, his arms folded over his chest. He wore a jacket like theirs, though his looked to be made of a finer material and had several extra pockets. The boy looked at them and scoffed, a slight sneer forming on his lips.

"Well, I was wondering where to throw my trash away," the boy said, tossing a crumpled wrapped on the ground. Harry felt himself scowling; the blond reminded him a bit of his aunt.

"Buzz off, Malfoy," Ron said darkly.

"Or what… you'll sick your rat on me?" Draco asked, smirking.

"Maybe I will!" Ron snapped.

"As much fun as it would be for me to put you in your place-"

"Draco… please," Neville said, swallowing hard and fighting back his nerves. "Just… let it go."

Draco looked at Neville and shook his head in disgust. "Don't you have any pride, Longbottom? You are one of the old families and you are hanging around a Weasley and a No-Name…" Hermione grit her teeth and Harry wondered the comment was suppose to mean… though he understood it wasn't a nice nickname, "…and whoever this is."

"His name is 'Shove Off Malfoy'," Ron snapped. "So why don't you do just that?"

"Yet another display of the Weasley wit." Draco turned towards Harry. "You might want to rethink your friends, 'Shove Off'. How you are viewed by others depends on the company you keep. Surround yourself with trash…"

Before Harry could say anything a chime went off.

"Think about it," Draco said with a sniff. "Be friends with people that can show you great things… or slum it with the filth."

"What was that chime?" Harry asked as Draco quickly left the cabin doorway.

"We're here," Ron said, his good humor returning with Draco's exit. "We're at Hogwarts!"

* * *

Author's Notes: First off, thanks to everyone that has been reviewing. The more reviews I get the more I am motivated to crank out chapters.

So, we learn a bit more about this new world. We know of at least two Gym Leaders (Arthur Weasley and Madam Longbottom) and now know that Neville's first Pokemon is a Bulbasaur and that his family breeds them. Also, I was able to explain a bit more on how this world works via Gyms and Schools and such.

Some comments, based on reviews:

1) While magic is NOT a part of this world, some things will be... such as Pokemagnus.

2) Yes, there will be a sorting, but no Sorting Hat. How I do it will fit the Poke-Universe, though. Also, the classes and the House Mascots will change, but not the names

3) The reason I have not discussed Harry's parents and what happened to them is that I feel it would be strange to have Hagrid just blurt out what happened. Instead, it will take a bit longer... and serve as a meaningful chapter.

4) The reason Harry isn't recognized? No scar. Notice I never mentioned it... because it isn't there. The night Harry's parents died is different than canon... I have my own twist on it.

As always, suggestions are always welcomed. I have a pretty firm grasp at the moment on what Pokemon Hermione, Ron and Draco will have as their starters but suggestions for their classmates is always welcomed.


	4. Lily's Heir

Author's Comments: I don't own Pokemon or Harry Potter. I do own a Donphan or two, but one is a plush and the other is a little figure. I also own a robotic space t-rex named Grimlock, but all he does is stand there and judge me. Comments on the reviews from last chapter will be at the end.

* * *

[Le Fay's Crossing]

"First years, first years with me!"

"I guess that means us," Hermione said, stepping off the train. Le Fay's Crossing was little more than a large train station and boat dock that was located a mile away from Le Fay's Landing; the village was held to be the spot where the legendary trainer Morgan Le Fay had first appeared upon arriving in the Avalon Region. In the modern day Le Fay's Landing was a thriving town that serviced both Hogwarts and any trainer who was making their way from Caradoc City to Perceval City. For the older students, Le Fay Weekends were always a delight, offering a chance to stock up on new goods, get a glass of MooMoo Milk or stop off at Jessie and James' Candy Shop for a Rage Candy Bar.

"'ello, 'arry!" Hagrid said as the first years approached the dock. "Ya enjoy the train ride?"

"Yes, Hagrid," Harry said with a smile.

"Good, good. Well, come on then… four of ya to a boat!"

Hogwarts was not just the name of the school but also the island in the middle of Merlin's Lake. The sun had already begun to set but the students could see across the calm water the dark outline of the forested island, which was roughly the size of Galahad City. There were several other islands, smaller in size but just as impressive, stationed in the middle of the massive lake.

Harry did as he was told, settling into one of the small white boats that was tied to the dock. Sitting in a little seat on the back of each boat was a Marril, who waved to the students. "Why are we riding in these?" Harry asked, nodding to where the older students were either letting out their own Pokémon to take them across Merlin's Lake or were boarding one of the many Lapras that rose out of the water to greet them.

"Its tradition," Ron said.

"It is?" Harry asked.

"Yeah." The red head screwed up his face as their Marril fired off a water gun attack that sent their boat skimming across the lake surface. "Geez, I know this…"

Hermione piped up. "When Morgan Le Fay landed in Avalon it was because she wanted to challenge Merlin to a battle."

"Merlin?" Harry asked.

"The first trainer ever," Neville said.

"Oh."

Hermione nodded. "To get across she took a white boat like this one. Of course, she had to row it herself but now the Marrils help us." Hermione reached over and stroked the blue Pokémon's head; the little guy paused long enough to chirp in glee before continuing.

"Ok," Ron said with a smirk. "But do you know why they call it Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts was the name Merlin gave his Spoink, the very first Pokémon ever to partner with a human."

Neville nodded, remembering his gram telling him this story. "When Merlin and Hogwarts passed away, Merlin's four apprentices, Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowana Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff named the lake in Merlin's honor and their school and the island after Hogwarts, that way the two of them would be together forever."

Harry nodded. "Who won the battle?"

"Huh?" Ron, Hermione and Neville asked.

"The battle between Merlin and Morgan Le Fay. Who won?"

The three 11 year olds shifted. "Well… I guess Merlin," Hermione said, not liking her answer in the slightest. "I mean, no one really knows…"

The girl was saved from the awkwardness by the gasps coming from the boats ahead. Harry and his new friends forgot all about Merlin and Morgan as their boat finally made the turn that allowed them to gaze at Hogwarts.

Originally, Hogwarts Castle had been exactly that: a castle. But over a thousand years the elements had worn it down while technology advanced. The current Hogwarts still resembled the ancient castle though it was, in fact, only a few hundred years old and some parts of it were younger than the first years that were coming to learn in its hallowed halls. Great stone blocks were reinforced with steel, stain glass windows had the best weather proofing, and electricity generated by subterranean heat powered its many classrooms and common rooms. For every high tower and drawbridge there were computer labs. Satellite dishes were hidden within elegant sculpted shrubbery and the millions of lights that glowed within were designed to look like flickering candles. Hogwarts was truly where the past met the present… all in the name of creating the future of the Avalon Region.

The students got out of the boats still gaping at Hogwarts. Even the likes of Draco couldn't quite muster the strength of will to not look like gawking tourists at the legendary trainer school. Hagrid beamed as he led the students towards the main door; he always loved seeing the students' faces when they first laid eyes on Hogwarts. It was the large man's favorite part of the job.

The great iron doors parted, revealing a stern looking woman dressed in a white labcoat, a dark brown long sleeve shirt and matching slacks. Looking to be in her 60s to 70s, the woman, with her hair in a tight bun and her eyes gleaming like diamonds in some dark cave, all at once conveyed a sense of strength and power.

And then she smiled and many of the students felt the tension lift, as if this woman had suddenly transformed into their grandmother.

"Hello there," the woman said, reaching down to pick up a Purrloin that had walked up and began to nuzzle her. "I am Professor McGonagall. Please follow me. Thank you Hagrid, you may head into the Main Hall now."

"Aye, right away," Hagrid said, acting as if this were the first time he'd ever brought children to the castle. He lumbered down a corridor, though not before pausing to give Harry a quick wave.

"Now then, allow me to explain what is about to happen," McGonagall said, leading the group of first years down a hallway. All around them were flatscreen displays that featured images of famous graduates of Hogwarts and either a battle they had won or some achievement they had made. McGonagall allowed her charges a moment to look at the 'portraits' before clearing her throat, gaining their attention. "You will all be brought into the Great Hall where you will be sorted. The rest of the school is already there and introductions will be made, as well as information you will need for your first night here. After that dinner will be served then you will be led to your dorms. You may bring your backpacks with you or leave them here for the school's resident Pokémon to move for you."

All the first years chose to bringing their backpacks with them and, with a nod, McGonagall led them to another set of tall doors. Stepping before them she nodded her head and, with a mechanical click, the doors swung open.

The Great Hall stretched out before Harry, nearly three twice the size of the Dursleys' house. As the students followed McGonagall Harry noted that there were four tables and at each one a different groups of students sat, all wearing the same colored hat: Red, Purple, Yellow, and Blue. There was no mixing of these colors amongst the tables and Harry instantly realized that the hats must represent the different Houses that he'd heard Ron speak about.

The floor of the hall was a polished marble and upon each of the tiles there was one of the Pokémon type symbols emblazed upon it. The stain glass windows to their right and left depicted famous moments in Avalon history, such as Merlin and Hogwarts becoming allies, Morgan Le Fay arriving on the back of a Swellow, the four founders gathered around a dying Merlin, and the construction of the school. Above them the ceiling was painted with a massive mural of all the legendary Pokémon, from the ancient Mew to the fiery Moltres to the Four Swords of Justice.

At the front of the hall was a final table, this one holding the staff of Hogwarts. The first years turned their attention to this table as an old man stood up, clearing his throat. He wore a white lab coat like McGongall, but instead of profession attire he sported under his jacket a silk shirt with a floral print, black slacks, and rainbow-colored sneakers. Of course, it was hard to see his wild shirt, as his long beard nearly covered all of it.

"Welcome, new students, to Hogwarts. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster of this fine school." He smiled, eyes twinkling as he looked upon each and every new student. "Every year it is always such a pleasure to welcome new trainers to this castle. I look upon you and see the future of Avalon and hope that I am worthy to teach all of you.

"As I am sure most of you know, Hogwarts has four houses." Dumbledore gestured behind him and, as if by magic, four grand banners unfurled behind him, each one of the four colors of the hats Harry had spotted. "There is Gryffindor." Dumbledore waved towards the red banner that featured a roaring Arcanine. "Slytherin." Their banner was silver with purple trim, a hissing Arbok upon it. "Ravenclaw." The yellow banner of Ravenclaw had a Honchcrow upon it, looking rather puffed up and important. "And Hufflepuff." The Blue banner had a determined Buizel adorning it.

"You will be selected to live in one of these four houses. Your house will be your home here at Hogwarts… you will live together, work together, and win together. But know that just because you are in one house does not mean that all other houses are closed to you."

That earned some snorts from the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables.

"You have already met with Professor McGonagall, who is the head of Gryffindor. The other heads are Prof. Flitwick of Ravenclaw," Dumbledore gestured to a tiny professor who Harry was convinced must have been part of the Joseph family, what with his small size, slicked back hair and little beard. "Prof. Sprout of Hufflepuff," a kindly looking woman in a white labcoat stood up and waved to the students. "And Prof. Snape of Slytherin." The final professor, a tall, brooding man with long black hair and an equally dark labcoat did not bother to rise or make any gesture towards the students.

"I am sure you have heard some wild stories about how you will be sorted. Forced to endure the four elements… wrestling a Golurk," at that Ron glanced at his brothers nervously, who were nodding in glee, "or pulling one of the four names randomly from my hat." Dumbledore reached up and frowned. "And seeing as I forgot my hat, I suppose we will sort you the normal way."

The students chuckled, less at the Professor's poor joke and more at the nervousness of the firsties.

Pulling out a pokeball, Dumbledore tossed it out, released a large pinkish Pokémon with a strange, shell-like crown upon its head. "This is Slowking. You will sit on the stool Prof. McGonagall is bringing out and he will look through your mind, determining which of the four houses you belong in."

"Abbott, Hannah!" McGonagall called out.

Harry watched as the young girl hurried over to the stool, nervously playing with the zipper on her jacket. Slowking smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder and the girl froze, eyes flickering as the Pokémon's did the same.

"Hufflepuff!" Slowking called out, startling Harry. He hadn't realized that Pokémon could talk!

"I've heard about that," Hermione whispered, clearly having the same thought as Harry. "Some Pokémon are so smart they are able to speak human… it is a rare thing but quite-"

"Granger, Hermione!" McGonagall called out. The bushy-haired girl hurried to the stool, mimicking the rest of the students as Slowking touched her shoulder. After a minute he called out "Gryffindor!" and the House of Arcanine let out cheers. Ron's brother Percy had stood up and pulled out a bag, from which he drew out a red hat for Hermione to wear.

Neville soon went, sweating and fidgeting. Flora, still cradled in his arms, looked at Slowking and growled a bit before allowing the pink Pokémon to touch her trainer. After 3 minutes Slowking called out "Gryffindor!" and Neville happily hurried over and took a seat next to Hermione.

"Malfoy, Draco." The blond strolled forward, his head held high and a cocky smirk on his face. Only Harry seemed to notice that Slowking was forcing himself not to react to touching the boy. The Pokémon's hand barely brushed Draco before he declared "Slytherin!". Draco ran up to the table, missing Slowking's move to wipe his paw.

"Potter, Harry."

The Great Hall went silent.

Harry walked nervously forward, though he stopped halfway to the stool when he realized every single eye was upon him.

It was an experience he had never felt before. Every eye in the Great Hall was turned towards him, looking at him, judging him. He at once felt like the most important person in the universe... and he didn't like it in the slightest. They were all examining him, weighing him up and seeing if he was worthy. None of the other students had been treated as such and Harry wondered just what it was about him that made him so different.

"The-Boy-Who-Lived..." someone whispered to his right.

"The-Woman-Who-Won's child," another hissed.

"The Lost Heir."

"Lily Potter's boy."

Harry suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up, blinking his wide eyes as Prof. McGonagall turned him so she could look at him. She stared at his green eyes and for a moment Harry thought the woman was going to begin crying.

"C-come now, Harry," McGonagall whispered, "can't keep Slowking waiting."

Nodding dumbly, Harry made his way to the stool, squirming as he sat upon it like some prize pie being inspected at a county fair. He looked at his shoes, not wanting to glance up and see all those eyes staring at him, judging him and finding him wanting.

_'"You are much too hard on yourself'"_

_"Who... who said that?" Harry said, shocked to find his lips unable to move. In fact, his entire body had gone rigid. "Slowking?"_

_"Indeed, Harry Potter," the psychic Pokémon said in his head. "They do not look at you and find you wanting. They look at you and see the last living remnant of their savior."_

_"Their savior?"_

_"Lily Potter... your mother."_

_"My mum?" Harry whispered._

_"Yes. But I see you do not know the tale. It is... no, no I cannot tell you."_

_"Please!" Harry exclaimed, desperate to hear more about his parents._

_"I am sorry, but all of us owe your mother and her Pokemon such a debt that it would be wrong of me to breeze through their tale. You will just have to show patience." Sensing that Harry was not happy with this, Slowking sighed. "What I can tell you is that your mother loved you so much that she stared down a great evil... and evil blinked. Her life was the cost... but her noble sacrifice makes her, along with your father, some of the greatest in Avalon._

_"But enough of this. There is still a task we must perform: your sorting." Harry's vision blurred for a moment, as if he had pulled off this glasses. "Hmmm... now this is interesting."_

_"What is it?" Harry asked, wishing he could turn his head. It was such a strange feeling, being unable to move even a muscle. "What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing is wrong, just strange," Slowking said. "When I sort a child, I look at who they were, who they are, and see who they could be. I then select the house that best fits what they need to flourish. But with you... well, see for yourself."_

_The world suddenly came back into sharp focus, only Harry found that instead of the Great Hall he was now sitting in an endless black room. Before him were four men... men he realized were himself. _

_"You have elements of all four houses... and they in turn offer each something you desire," Slowking said. Harry's gaze was drawn to the first Older-Harry. This one was wearing a blue jacket and surrounding him were baby Pokemon. There was a Pichu and a Magby and an Elekid and Budew and others, all hugging his legs. "In Hufflepuff you would find the compainonship you have so longed forth. Your life has been so void of pleasure and in Helga's House you would find new brothers and sisters."_

_To the right of this Harry stood another, dressed in a long white labcoat, his fingers adjusting his glasses. "Your relatives belittled your intelligence, Harry. They called you stupid and lashed out whenever you spoke up. But they did that not because you were dumb but because you were smart and it threatened them. You saw through their lies and had they listened would have seen the truth for themselves. In Ravenclaw you would strive to enlighten the world... perhaps even becoming Headmaster of this very school."_

_The third Harry was dressed in long red jacket, a cocky grin on his face as he held up his hand, his index finger giving the 'We're Number 1!' gesture. "Gryffindor... oh yes, the Growlithes would do well to have you with them. So many of them have courage but not the kind you do. You survived where so many would break and in that mighty house you would stand tall as the true Champion of Gryffindor."_

_The final Harry was glancing at the other three, the faintest hints of a smirk on his lips. He was dressed in a black short jacket, a pair of sunglasses on his face as he idly played with a pokeball. "You learned quickly that to survive you must hide your true self. Too many think the House of Arbok is about deceit... Salazar never stood for this. He believed in cunning and adaptation. You would be a force that would reshape Avalon, should you go into that house."_

_"So... what shall I do? Each fate is a good one... love, knowledge, adventure or power. What do you desire, Harry Potter? What do you want?"_

_Harry sat for a long time, watching his four older doppelgangers. He thought long and hard about what Slowking had said and considered not the promises he had given but his very first comments: the house you were given was based on where you had come from, where you were at and what you were heading towards._

_He watched as the four Harrys began to shrink, their colors fading away. Their sizes changed, their forms were reshaped, and one even became a girl. Before Harry realized what was happening he saw that the four Harrys had become himself as he was now, Hermione, Ron and Neville._

_"You have chosen... wisely," Slowking said, delight clear in his voice. "It is clear now that the House you need is not the one that will bring you your future... but the friends you have made, that you longed for... that will aid you in your journey towards your destiny. Yes, you truly belong in _GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry blinked, his body lurching forward as the real world rushed back to him. He looked about in confusion, trying to figure out what had happened, to see if-

"WE GOT POTTER!" Fred and George cried out. The Gryffindor table exploded in cheers and Hermione and Neville and even Ron (though he wasn't sorted yet) rushed up and hugged Harry, laughing and clapping him on the back. The boy just looked around in a daze, allowing them to guide him to his seat. Even Percy was wearing a smile as he pulled out a red cap and handed it to the boy.

Harry found out as the rest of the firsties were sorted that he had been sitting on the stool for 10 minutes. Prof. McGonagall had become worried when Harry had remained frozen and Neville had commented that Prof. Dumbledore had been ready to recall Slowking just as the Pokemon had declared the boy's house.

"What the heck was going on while he was touching you?" Hermione asked.

Harry explained the vision as best he could, earning queer looks from his friends. "Harry-" Hermione began, only to stop for a moment to clap as Slowking, in 3 seconds, declared Ron a Gryffindor, "-when I went in there Slowking showed me two possible choices. There was a Gryffindor me and Ravenclaw... but the Ravenclaw one was barely visible... she looked more like a sad ghost."

Neville nodded. "There were shades for all but Hufflepuff and Gryffindor for me, and even then the Hufflepuff one seemed… wrong. The hat told me though that I needed Gryffindor if I was to face what was coming."

"Bulba!" Flora declared, butting Neville chest and demanding the boy scratch her head.

Ron sat down with a goofy grin on his face. "Slowking didn't even bother to show me anything! Said it was clear I was a Gryffindor true and true."

Harry opened his mouth to say something, only for Prof. Dumbledore to call for their attention. "Now then, there are a few announcements. The Forbidden Island is exactly that: forbidden." A few students scoffed and Harry got the feeling that Prof. Dumbledore gave this speech every year. "Mr. Filtch has posted a set of rules outside his office concerned banned items here at Hogwarts." More scoffs and a spatter of laughter; yes, same speech. "Tonight, after the feast, first years will have a meeting in their common rooms with their Head of House. Until then... bippity, blippity, boop!"

Harry scrunched his brow, confused by the nonsense words, only for his attention to become focused on wide variety of Pokemon that marched out of the kitchen with enough food to feed an army. Ron was practically drooling at the sight and even Neville and Hermione were looking at the dinner longingly.

All worries about cryptic messages, Forbidden Islands, and whispers of his name were forgotten as Harry settled in to have the best meal of his young life.

* * *

Notes: One of the things that annoys me is the fact that there is little history to the Pokemon world. Yes, we know about the Tin Tower and legends about the Swords of Justice and Mew... but this is such a strange, wonderful world that I want to know more... I want to know the history of the cities and the events that are playing out in other areas as we move through the game world.

Thus, my attempt in this chapter was to begin doing the history of Avalon. I used a bit of the King Arthur legend (notice the towns, following the theme of all the games, are named after Knights of the Round Table) as well as my own imagination.

The choice of the houses and their mascots was pretty easy. I wanted each to have a Stage Two pokemon as their mascot. I did mix up the colors, but it had to be done; makes no sense to have Slytherin be green if their mascot is purple.

People are probably wondering about characterization. I am going to say this right now: most will stay true to their book attitudes, but some WILL change. That said... there will be no Evil!Dumbledore or Death-eater-Rons or Draco wearing anything of leather, let alone pants. The fates of some characters WILL be changed (one in particular will be switching from one side to the other in a MAJOR twist that, if you know Harry Potter and Pokemon will be a nice surprise that makes sense).

Several reviewers have mentioned ideas for Harry's Pokemon. Keep it up, but also suggest for others... you'll have better luck suggesting something for Flitwick or Sprout then you might for Ron.

Finally, there are several things that I dislike about the Harry Potter universe... namely how Lily is treated. She was the true hero that defeated Voldemort... her magic and sacrifice saved Harry. Harry survived because of her and yet Harry is seen as James Potter's son. Thus, in this story, Lily (and to a smaller degree James) are more highly honored. Thus, while Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived... Lily is The-Woman-Who-Won

Remember to review. Reviews motivate me to write and I LOVE talking to you guys and answering questions


	5. The House of Arcanine

Author's Notes: I do not own Harry Potter or Pokemon. Author's notes at the bottom, as always

* * *

"Come along, come along!" Percy Weasley called out, leading the students up a flight of stairs. Harry groaned, rubbing his sore tummy; he simply wasn't use to eating so much and it had left him wondering how Dudley did it.

His fingers curled around his pokeball, reassuring himself that Eevee was still with him. It had made him nervous releasing her at dinner but after seeing that nearly everyone else was doing so he had complied. Eevee had earned almost as many stares as Harry had, though the little brown Pokemon had loved the attention and seemed to prance along the table, purposely 'cuting it up' as Hermione had dubbed it in order to sneak a few more treats.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Harry," Hermione had said as she fed her Pokemon, a white little creature with a green bowl-like head that she said was a Ralts. "If your Eevee keeps this up it will be as heavy as Ron."

"Hey!" Ron had shouted, his cheeks puffed out much like his Raticate. It had been a surprise for everyone when Ron had brought out his Pokémon and all the Gryffindors had murmured in surprise that Ron had an evolved Pokémon as his first partner. The red-heads cocky smile had dropped when Fred had casually let it slip that Ron had only been allowed to take the critter because it refused to breed with any of the female Raticates. Scabbers, as he'd been named, tended to be a lazy Pokémon who didn't like to fight or mate or play… he'd rather just lay around and eat and sleep. Ron didn't like it when his brothers commented that it was a case of a trainer resembling their Pokémon.

"Alright," Percy said, standing before a doorway with an etching of a roaring Arcanine upon it. "This is the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. To get in, you will be required to key in a password." He pointed to a keypad next to an image of a rather heavy woman standing next to several Slugmas. "This semester the password is 'ExtremeSpeed'." Keying the password in, the door slid open revealing the Gryffindor common room.

Harry turned this way this way and that as they entered the base of the tower. The common room was quite spacious, with plenty of chairs for the students to lounge in, a roaring fireplace, and a wall of computer terminals on the opposite side. The entire room was done up in shades of red with white-gold trim. On the walls hung photos of famous Gryffindor alum and their Pokémon and above the mantle was a painting depicting the famous moment when Goric Gryffindor commanded his Arcanine to attack an Articuno, thus ending the Two Year Winter.

The other students made their way to a group of fourteen hollow spaces near the back of the common room. Lining up, they stepped inside and, to Harry's shock, were shot upwards, spinning about as they rocketed upwards and out of sight.

"Children, please come here," Prof. McGonagall called out, motioning for the students to take a seat near the fire. Ron had hurried over and claimed a couch, spreading himself out until Hermione walked up, tapping her foot. He had the decency to blush before moving so that Neville, Hermione and Harry could join him. "Now then, I want to cover a few things with you before you head to bed." McGonagall grabbed a thick stack of folders that had been lying on the mantle and began to pass them out. "Here you will find your class schedule, your dorm number, and some pamphlets explaining the rules and expectations while you stay at Hogwarts." McGonagall gave them all a cool look. "We are the House of Godric the Great, who drove away the mighty Articuno and whose Arcanine was so powerful that even today all Arcanines are known as the Legendary Pokemon. You WILL hold yourself to a high standard and honor this House."

The first years all nodded, feeling their guts churn at the sternness their head of house was directing at them. Ron Weasley in particular was looking at the woman as if she were a Dusclops that was coming to swallow her soul.

Then the professor allowed the barest hint of a smile to grace her lips. "That said… know that I will do all in MY power to ensure that you are given every tool and lesson needed so you are able to do exactly that. I will be meeting with each of you over the next few days to discuss your time here." The firsties shared a smile at that and McGonagall took a moment to look over each and every one of them. "Now then, off to bed, all of you. Prefect Weasley will show you how to use the lifts. Mr. Potter, a moment."

Harry swallowed, forcing down his nerves. From the glances he was getting from his friends, it was clear that they were as surprised as he was. Watching Ron and Neville head towards one lift (Hermione had already been dragged away by a dark-skinned girl who apparently only stopped talking to breathe), Harry took several deep breaths before following McGonagall to a set of chairs near the far wall.

The professor removed her labcoat and set it down on an empty table, folding it and running her fingers lovingly along the fabric before settling herself down before Harry. The boy watched her, wondering if he was in trouble for something; he didn't know what he had done but he was use to being blamed for things he hadn't been involved with. If he were honest with himself, he was actually a bit relieved that he was getting into trouble; it had been too strange being treated fairly and a scolding would make sure his world went back on track… even if he wished it wouldn't.

"Mr. Potter… Harry…" The boy was surprised to find that the professor seemed rather choked up. While there had been flashes of humor and good will in the old woman, she for the most part seemed to be quite a firm and steady teacher. She pulled out a hankie and dabbed her eyes. "My apologizes… it's just I have thought about this conversation for nearly 10 years and I still don't know quite where to begin." She reached down, picking up her Purrloin who'd wandered over, and began to stroke the cat's fur. "I am not going to insult your intelligence by asking if you heard the whispers in the Great Hall."

Harry had and then some. Not just whispers but bold proclamations and strange questions. In his short 11 years he had heard his mother's name 25 times and his father's 19. Most of the time said names had been snarled and followed by curse words. In the span of three hours Harry had now heard his father's name mentioned 43 times and his mother's a whooping 82 times; at least that is when he'd lost count. It could have well been over a hundred times each of their names were uttered, but to Harry the fact that his parents were so well known was not the most shocking detail. No, the fact that all the students at the Gryffindor table had spoke with such utter reverence of his father and especially his mother had left him unable to really follow exactly what they were saying, other than Lily and James Potter were heroes to them all.

A great change to constantly hearing about 'James the ass' and 'Stupid, Selfish Lily'.

Even Ron and Neville had looked at him with awe in their eyes. "Why didn't you tell us who you were?" Ron had demanded as he tossed Scabbers a meatball.

"I did," Harry had said, grabbing another roll.

"You never told us you were Harry Bloody Potter!" Ron had exclaimed.

Harry had become confused by this and said as much. He didn't get what the big deal was… he was Harry Potter. Until a few days ago he hadn't ever considered himself special and before the sorting he had only saw himself as a boy who had gotten lucky and been removed from a horrible situation. Even his trip to Diagon Alley hadn't really changed this opinion, though some of the hush comments the saleswomen had made suddenly took on a new meaning. The titles and the whispers really didn't mean anything to the boy and he couldn't wrap his mind around the idea that he was someone important to his fellow classmates.

Ron and to a lesser extent Neville had tried to explain just why the name 'Potter' had caused such a stir, but with the chaos of the meal and everyone trying to say something or ask him a question, Harry had been unable to really follow anything they were talking about.

Prof. McGonagall pulled him from his thoughts. "Harry, I know your aunt and uncle told you many things about your parents… and I would not be surprised if all those things were quite negative." Harry nodded and McGonagall fought back a snarl that threatened to rip through her throat. "And I hope that after tonight you will see all those comments for what they really are: lies.

"Your father and mother were trainers who met here at this very school. Your father…" McGonagall paused, considering her words carefully. "How much has Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom told you about gyms?"

"A little," Harry said. "Trainers who can't go to this school have to challenge gym leaders and get badges. Ron's dad is a gym leader and Neville said he was going to be one when he turned 18."

McGonagall nodded. "Yes, that is correct. Harry… your father was a gym leader as well. In fact, he was considered one of the best gym leaders in Avalon. His father, your grandfather, was also a famous gym leader, and his father and his father's father…" The woman smiled and waved her hand slightly in a dismissive way. "The Potters of Griflet's Hollow have been gym leaders for hundreds of years."

"My dad was a gym leader?" Harry repeated. He failed to miss the way McGonagall clenched her fist, fighting her rage at the Dursleys for hiding the truth from Harry.

"Yes," the professor said, reaching up and selecting a picture from the wall. Harry stared at the image as it was passed to him, his fingers lightly tracing the edges of the frame. The man shown looked much like the Older Gryffindor Harry Slowking had showed him: tall, with dark framed glasses and messy hair, wearing a long red jacket. The man, with a cocky grin on his face, was standing next to a strange Pokémon with fire ringing its neck. "A Typlosion," McGonagall said, reading Harry's thoughts. "The Potter family bred their pre-evolved form, Cyndaquil."

Harry gazed upon the image of his father, his heart clenching as he looked at the Typlosion and remembering Hagrid's words of how he should have had a different Pokémon. He loved Eevee and would never trade him for the world… but the knowledge that he had missed out on another piece of his heritage upset him greatly. The veiled hints, along with Mr. Ollivander's comment about how it was now near impossible to find Torchics, made him realize that the same fate had probably met the Cyndaquils and his hopes of obtaining one were little more than that: hopes.

Prof. McGonagall waited before finally reaching up and selecting a photo that hung next to James'. "And this… is your mother."

"Mum?" Harry murmured, taking the photo and staring at it. The Lily depicted was one when she was still Lily Evans. 17 years old and full of fire and determination, Lily, dressed in her school uniform, had one hand on her lip and the other holding out a pokeball. Beside her was what Harry wagered to be her fully evolved Torchic, only with a strange black Pokémon that looked like a chandelier floating behind them both.

"Blazekin and Chandelure… her two most powerful Pokémon. Blazekin was her first Pokémon while Chandelure was a rare find; her and a… friend… found a pair of Litwicks on the Forbidden Island in their 4th year and raised them together. They would have probably begun breeding them… had Lily…" McGonagall shook herself from her sadness and forced herself to speak. "Your mother was one of the best pokeball makers I've ever seen. She caught her Litwick with one of her custom ShadowFlame balls… didn't even have to battle it. Professor Flitwick was her mentor and she would have been teaching his classes had…" Again, McGonagall froze up, her own despair threatening to overtake her.

Harry looked at the images of his mother and father, wondering if pictures could truly capture who they were and what they were like. Was his father the cocky, brazen man in the photo, or did he suffer from doubt and fear, same as his son? Did he ever sit alone at night and wish for there to be someone he could run to, who'd chase the monsters away? Was Lily the smart, confident trainer at all times, or did she suffer from panic attacks and shy away from large crowds? How would she have handled Petunia, her own sister… and would she hate Harry for how he had dealt with the situation?

Would his parents even want to be near him if they knew what he was like? Was he someone they would want to know? Want to care for? Want to love?

"They loved you very much," McGonagall said, once more reading Harry's emotions. "You were the brightest point in their world. Your father bragged for hours about you and I never saw your mother smile more than when she held you in her arms."

Harry sniffed, just then realizing he was crying. The head of Gryffindor handed him a tissue, which he accepted with thanks. "Professor… what… what happened to them?"

McGonagall sighed, her eyes drifting down to the photos. "Harry, there are some things you need to understand… Avalon was not as peaceful as it is now." The professor took a deep breath, bracing herself as if preparing to confront a painful attack. "Before you were born, a group appeared in Avalon; they were called Team Nocturne."

"Team Nocturne?"

"Yes. They believed that Pokémon should not be caught by just anyone. They believed that only children from old families should be trainers. They claimed that people who came to this region from other lands or whose family didn't have a history of educated trainers were unfit to use Pokémon." Harry's brow screwed up and McGonagall scowled. "It is rubbish, Harry, pure and simple. They said that because they wanted to be the only people to have Pokémon. They saw them as gateways to power and wanted to be the only ones that could claim it.

"Your mother and father fought against Team Nocturne along with many other trainers. Your father being from a powerful family and your mother being a Pokémon prodigee… it drew the attention of the leader of Team Nocturne; a man named Voldemort."

Harry could not help but notice the way Prof. McGonagall seemed to shiver in dread at the name of Team Nocturne's leader. It was as if someone had walked over her grave. More startling was the fact that Harry himself felt the exact same way.

"Voldemort become obsessed with delivering a blow to those that opposed him. Your mother and father were beautiful, young, strong, smart and in love. They had just had a beautiful baby and Voldemort saw them as idols for the people of Avalon to rally around. He wanted to turn their names into something else, something vile. He sought to destroy them in such a way that all would tremble with fear and submit to Team Nocturne. They would be an example of what happens when people dared to fight against Voldemort and his men.

"Your mother and father learned of this plot against and hid on Little Surrey. Voldemort followed them there…" McGonagall shuddered, her tears falling freely now. "Your father fought him first… but Voldemort's Pokémon were too strong." Harry let out a whimper. "With your father d… with him out of the way, Voldemort came for your mother and you. Lily stood against him… and won." Harry's eyes went wide at that and McGonagall, despite her tears, smiled for a moment. "Voldemort had built his entire campaign on the idea that people like your mother were inferior trainers. Lily Potter proved him wrong and even though Voldemort's attacks mortally wounded her, your mother ended him once and for all.

"After that Team Nocturne crumbled and its members were arrested. Voldemort was right though… he did change how people spoke of your parents. You are the Boy-Who-Lived, the only survivor of that attack and the heir of the two most heroic trainers in Avalon since Merlin walked these lands: The-Man-Who-Fought and The-Woman-Who-Won."

Minerva McGonagall was many things. She was one of the 20 youngest trainers to defeat the Elite Four and gain the honorary title of Pokémon League Champion. She was one of the most acclaimed Partnership Professors in all the regions. She was a licensed pokemagnus and had taught 10 others the secrets of that mystical art. She was the head of Gryffindor, Deputy Headmistress, and the bane of the Weasley Twins.

But despite the rumors some spread, she did not have a heart of stone, and seeing Harry Potter crying at he learned the truth of his parents' death and just how much the two had meant to Avalon, especially after all the horrible lies his aunt and uncle had told him…

Moving her chair around, the professor wrapped an arm around the sobbing boy and let him cry on his shoulder, her own tears falling as she comforted the child of the two best trainers she had ever taught.

* * *

Author's Notes: I am hoping that people will forgive making McGonagall a bit softer here. As I have stated before, it makes no sense to me to have Hagrid explain what happened to Harry's parents. I prefer this, having their teacher and a woman that cared for baby Harry explain a bit about what happened.

By all means, this isn't the whole story, of course. Team Nocturne, the Order of Moltres, and other pieces of the past still need to be revealed.

For those wondering, the way the students get to their dorms is via transporters, like they use in the games.

Now we know exactly what the Potter Family Pokemon is: a Cyndaquil. James Potter was a fire-type duelist and I wanted to give him a flame type that would be interesting. Torchic already went to Lily, Chimchar and Tepig I wasn't interested in doing for him (they didn't seem to fit) and Charmander seemed like it would be overdone. Cyndaquil though... well, he works a-ok.

Now, to comment on some reviews:

-I have the Basilisk figured out, and the Dementors. Suggests are welcomed for other creatures, though.

-Everything with Avalon is being scripted out to give it an interesting backstory. Some things are even working out better than I expected... Griflet was one of the Knights of the Roundtable, but it also works as a name for Godric's ancestral home.

-Everyone has been saying that Hermione should get an Abra, but for me Ralts makes more sense. It starts off as an awkward looking pokemon that stumbled about. It evolves into something a touch more girl-like, with some grace. Its final form is based off an elegant woman and represents Hermione's growth into a confident adult.

As always, please, please please review! Suggestions, ideas, and comments will always get a response back.

Next chapter sees Harry's first day of school


	6. Stalking Through the Long Grass

Author's Notes: Let me check... nope, still don't own Harry Potter or Pokemon. I am looking into buying My Little Pony (bronies are a gold mine) from Hasbro, but I fear Lauren Faust would send her ninjas after me.

* * *

The next morning had been one of amazement and discovery for Harry Potter. He didn't know how he'd ended up in the comfy bed with golden sheets and a fluffy red comforter; all he knew was that after years of sleeping on a mattress that felt like it was stuffed with used socks and soup cans this bed was like sleeping on a cloud. Considering all the amazing things he'd already seen, he wouldn't have been surprised to learn that the mattress was exactly that.

The shouts and clamor of his housemates had pulled him from his slumber and with mild regret he'd rose and began to get ready for breakfast. He was delighted to find that his roommates were Ron and Neville, with two boys, Dean and Seamus joining them. The fact that he wasn't being woken up by a certain cousin of his was rather delightful.

Neville and Harry had hung back, allowing Ron, Dean and Seamus to fight over the sink to brush their teeth before they themselves walked over and washed the sleep from their eyes. It was weird to get dressed in front of four other boys but Harry had quickly adapted, pulling on his jacket just as Seamus ran over to a glowing blue disc on the floor and promptly vanished.

"You've never seen a teleporter, have you?" Neville asked as Dean quickly leapt onto the pad. At Harry's confirming nod the boy smiled. "Ron, go ahead, I'll show Harry how it works."

"I'll save you guys a seat!" Ron called out, jumping on the teleporter pad. He spun around twice before being yanked away

"Teleporters always have a twin that they match up to. When you step on them, you spin a few times as the system scans you... then you are digitally sent to the other pad." Harry made a face and Neville rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, it... it sounds pretty scary and for a long time I couldn't do it... but my gram told me that it is no different than how we recall Pokémon and they are never hurt by it."

Harry nodded his head, eyeing the pad uneasily. "OK... I guess."

Neville held out his hand. "Want to... go together?"

Harry nodded, grasping Neville's hand as the two of them walked over to the pad. The moment Harry's feet touched the pad he felt a strange sensation that he could only equate to what one might feel if they were to be caught in a large draining pool. Once, twice... then there was a sudden POP! and Harry found him and Neville standing in the Gryffindor common room.

"That wasn't so bad," Neville said.

"Uh huh," Harry murmured, checking to make sure he had all his fingers.

"Harry!" Hermione called out, rushing towards the two. "Neville, come on! I've been waiting for hours! Ron rushed by here saying something about food and-"

"Hours?" Harry asked. "But the wake-up chime-"

"I was awake long before that!" Hermione exclaimed, waving her hands about. "I could barely sleep... classes start today! Do you think we'll be able to catch our second Pokémon soon? I hope so; I did some research on team building last night before bed…"

The boys looked at each other before staring at Hermione as if she had grown two heads. The bushy-haired girl didn't noticed their twin looks of confusion, so focused was she on the fact that in an hour she would be sitting in her first trainer's class. The boys let out yelps as Hermione began to drag them towards the door, chattering all the way about what they could expect.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Right now, each and every one of you has one Pokémon," Prof. Sprout said. Unlike the other professors, she had foregone a labcoat and was instead wearing a loose-fitting brown jacket with many pockets. Hanging off her hip was a long belt covered in different types of pokeballs. She watched the assorted Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, who were squinting against the rays of the morning sun. "But if you hope to get anywhere, you are going to have to get more. And even when you capture every single Pokémon you could ever want, you will still need to battle them."

A Hufflepuff girl with orange hair raised her hand. "My Aunt Amelia told me that it is better to fight other trainers rather than wild Pokémon."

"5 points to Hufflepoint for asking a good question. Yes, it is true that Pokémon owned by trainers will give you better experience battling, since they will be fighting using a strategy. Wild Pokémon tend to react or run and don't plan out how to string attacks together, which makes them easier to defeat. Who can tell me why you might not want to only fight trainers. Ms. Granger?"

Hermione smiled. "Because it is cheaper and less risky."

"Correct, Ms. Granger. 10 points to Gryffindor." Prof. Sprout paced in front of them, smiling as she spoke. "When you battle other trainers, you often have to wager pokedollars. While you won't be expected the wager anything in class, outside of school this is a common occurrence. Battling wild Pokémon is cheaper and if you lose the worst that happens is that you have to run back to a pokecenter to heal your team."

Prof. Sprout waved her hand towards a patch of long grass, which easily reached near their shoulders. It was roughly 20 yards across and 20 long. "In this class, you will learn how to track, sneak up upon, and battle wild Pokémon. What you learn here will help you expand your team and understand how to survive on your own." Selecting several pokeballs from her belt, Prof. Sprout tossed them out. "Stantlers, Zigzagoons, I choose you!"

The four balls opened and from two of them brown deer-like Pokémon emerged. The other two let loose brown furry Pokémon that slipped like lightning into the long grass. The Stantlers, meanwhile, stared at the children, gauging them, before ambling into the patch. The Pokémon easily moved through the grass before settling down, disappearing from sight.

"For today, I am going to show you just how difficult it is to find wild Pokémon... and how difficult it is to avoid them. You are all going to slowly make your way into the long grass and try and find the Stantlers without them noticing you. I have selected Stantlers due to their quick, agile nature."

"What about the Zigzagoons?" Lavender Brown, one of Hermione's roommates, asked.

"They are going to be stalking you. Zigzagoons are fast, easy to miss in the long grass, have a highly developed sense of smell, and very playful. For this test, you are going to pretend that you are only interested in Stantler. Battling a Zigzagoon will alert the Stantlers that you are in the area and they will escape." Prof. Sprout pointed to Hannah Abbott. "Ms. Abbot, why don't you go first?"

"This is very interesting," Hermione whispered to her friends. "Zigzagoons are known for being quite quick."

"So?" Ron asked. "I'll just be quicker."

"That won't work," Hermione stated. "Stantlers have a highly developed sense of hearing. If you try to go crashing through the long grass, they will hear and bound away."

Ron huffed. "Not if I am quick enough."

"Good luck with that," Hermione said with a smile. She stepped forward when Prof. Sprout called her name, passing by Hannah who'd alerted the Stantler of her presence. The bushy-haired teen ducked down, trying to remain just as hidden as the Stantlers. Creeping through the long grass, she listened for the Pokémon's breathing, focusing all of her attention on the Stantler that was only a few feet away. She slowly reached for Ralts' pokeball-

"ZIG!"

Hermione let out an 'oompf!' as the friendly Zigzagoon tackled her, rubbing her cheek with its cold wet nose. The girl scrambled away, leaping up in time to see the Stantlers standing next to Prof. Sprout, watching her with a haunty look.

"You did very good, Ms. Granger, but you failed to take into account that the Zigzagoon was tracking you too. You remained in one spot for too long and that let him attack. Next!"

Hermione marched back to her classmates, a frown marring her features. "I should have wished you good luck," Ron quipped.

Neville smiled weakly. "You almost had it, Hermione," he said shyly.

The girl looked ready to cry. "I can't believe I failed!"

Harry shrugged. "No one else has gotten as close as you. That has to be good for something, right?"

Hermione sniffed. "I should have been better prepared..." Neville and Harry shared a look; it was becoming quite clear that Hermione Granger would accept nothing less than perfection from herself.

"Mr. Weasley, you're next!" Prof. Sprout called out.

Ron grinned as he got in a runner's stance. "I'm not going to make the same mistake, Hermione... speed over stealth!"

The Stantlers promptly burst out of the grass and bounded away.

"What?" Ron said, utterly befuddled.

Prof. Sprout shook her head. "They heard you."

"But I wasn't even in the long grass!"

"That doesn't matter," Prof. Sprout told him gently. "It is just as important to think about what you are doing outside the long grass as it is when you are waist deep in it. Mr. Potter, you're next!"

Harry nodded, rubbing his hands together as he approached the grass. He quickly slipped inside the patch, keeping his head low like Hermione had while keeping on the move as Ron had suggested. He plowed through, pushing the grass aside with both arms and he sought out the Stantlers. When he heard a rustling to his right he quickly twisted around, circling the section. He could hear the heavy breathing and smiled slightly as he took out Eevee's pokeball. Making one final lap around the patch of grass he was aiming for, Harry darted forward and tossed out the ball...

"Eevee?" the Pokémon said in confusion, looking at the equally surprised Zigzagoon.

"Zig!" the raccoon Pokémon said happily, Eevee and him playfully chasing each other.

"Almost, Mr. Potter!" Prof. Sprout said with a slight smile. "Your tracking was good... but you zeroed in on the wrong Pokemon. Still, nicely done. Next!"

Harry walked back to his friends, recalling Eevee. "That was close, mate!" Ron said with a smirk, glancing Hermione's way. "And he did it using MY technique!"

"Are you kidding me?" Hermione complained. "He was stealthy like me... that's why he almost had the Stantler!"

"Mr. Longbottom!" Sprout called out. The shy boy stepped forward, eyeing the long grass nervously. "Well, Mr. Longbottom?"

Neville bit his lip before taking out his Pokeball and giving it a gentle toss. "Flora, come on," he said, motioning for the bulbasaur to follow him. The students began to chuckle and his friends watched on in confusion as Neville walked along the outer edge of the long grass, getting close to the far right corner before taking a shaky breath and plunging in. After a few moments they heard Stantler let out a bellow and march out, Neville and Flora sitting on his back, the bulbasaur having wrapped the beast's horns with her vines.

"20 points to Gryffindor!" Sprout declared before turning back to the class. "Mr. Longbottom, please explain why you chose to behave as you did."

"Well," Neville said, staring at Flora. The plant Pokémon licked his fingers in encouragement. "I don't... really like long grass; I get lost easily. I noticed that the Stantlers were sticking to that corner there, so I figured it would be better to rush in there." He shuffled, clearly embarrassed by what he had done. Had he looked up, he would have seen the pride shining in Sprout's eyes.

"Mr. Longbottom demonstrated something all of you should remember: strategy. Many Pokémon have particular patterns and habits and if you learn from them you can achieve your goals faster. Now then..."

~MC~MC~MC~

Lunchtime at Hogwarts was an interesting affair. Upon entering the Great Hall, Harry and his friends found it to be quite loud, as students from all seven classes were competing to be heard over the din. Heading over to the Gryffindor table, the foursome had barely sat down before 3 Clafairys appeared bearing plates filled with lasagna and cups of berry juice.

Tucking himself in, Harry began to devour his food with nearly the same gusto as Ron. Prof. Sprout had made them all run through the long grass four times, with varying results. Neville had done well the first time, but when he had attempted to replicate results the second time the Zigzagoons had wised up and been waiting for him. The professor had explained that environments and behaviors change over time and it is wise not to assume that because you met with success once you could again. It was better to study an area each time you entered it and create a new strategy if needed.

Hermione had done the best, using her strategy of staying low to move quickly and find the Stantlers. She failed to get her ball off though, as the Zigzagoons still ended up tagging her. Still, she was the closest after Neville. Harry had done ok, but found that crouching in the long grass caused him to get lost easily and that without his vision he had a hard time figuring out if what he was tracking was a Zigzagoon or a Stantler. One time he'd emerged, believing he must be on the right track, only to find out he'd been tracking Prof. Sprout.

Ron had tried to keep his rushing strategy, but usually ended up tagged by the Zigzagoons or alerting the Stantlers before he got close enough to toss his Pokeball.

There were several caws and whistles and hoots that filled the air just as Harry was reaching for his cup of berry juice. The Great Hall's windows retracted, allowing a flurry of bird Pokémon to fly in and deliver mail and other items to those enjoying their lunch.

"What's that?" Harry asked, pointing to the paper a Pidgey had dropped off in front of Hermione.

"The Galahad Daily," Neville informed him as Hermione began to scan the front page. "It's the region's main paper."

"Anything interesting in there?" Seamus called down to them.

"Not really," Hermione said, turning to the local news section. "Just some stuff about Johto sending an ambassador to Avalon for the first time..."

Ron snorted. "Why is that a big deal?"

Neville stared at his friend. "After the war with Kanto-"

"Oh, here's something," Hermione interrupted.

"What is it?" Harry asked, leaning towards her. Neville picked up roll and began to tear it into small pieces for Flora while Ron leaned down next to his plate, shoveling food into his mouth.

"They are reporting that Nicholas Silph was spotted at the pokecenter in Galahad City a few days ago."

"Who's Nicholas Silph?" Harry asked.

"He's an inventor," Hermione informed him, casting a glance at the editorial page before folding up the newspaper and sticking it in her bag for later reading. "He started up Silph Co. in the Kanto Region... they invent a lot of things."

"Like what?" Harry inquired.

"Your dex, for one," Ron said, taking a moment to swallow the massive bite he'd taken before continuing. "And most standard pokeballs."

"I wonder why he was here in Avalon?" Neville said.

"The paper said he was dropping something off with the Josephs," Hermione said, grabbing her bag and hoisting it onto her shoulder. "Come on, we have Partnership class next."

Ron looked at her in confusion. "Class doesn't start for another 30 minutes!"

"I want a good seat," Hermione said, "and I want to review my dex notes."

Ron rolled his eyes. "I swear, the girl is mental." Neville and Harry stood up, letting the Clafairys take their dirty plates. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Might as well get to class... this castle is so big it might take us the entire time just finding the Partnership classroom." Harry smiled and took off after Hermione, Neville and several other first years following after them.

Ron waved his hands wildly. "But... this is..." he looked longingly at the dessert some Jigglypuffs were happily bringing out before grabbing his bag, hastily wiping his mouth. "Wait for me!"

* * *

Author's Notes: As always, review comments:

-I like the suggestion on how to handle the 'unicorns'. Same for Fluffy.

-To the person begging me not to kill Sirus: all I will say is I think Rowling, at times, made mistakes when it came to what characters she killed off. This story will not follow canon 100% and thus some characters will live, some will die, some will be heroes and others villains.

-How people know what happened in Lily's battle with Voldemort will be revealed

These next few chapters are designed to show the first classes so you get a sense of what Harry is learning. After that we will begin getting some time skips to move us along to Halloween.


	7. Partners

Author's Note: if you haven't figured out that I don't own either of these two pieces, nothing will convince you.

* * *

It turned out Harry was only half right. The twists and turns of the castle had resulted in them taking the long way to Prof. McGonagall's class, resulting in them only being 10 minutes early. Ron had whined about the dessert they could have eaten while Hermione had bemoaned the fact that if they had left even earlier there would have been more time to study.

Neville had merely shrugged and took a seat, Flora looking about the room before settling down for an after-lunch nap. Hermione was nose deep in her dex, reviewing the prereading notes she had made at home (leaving Harry to wonder how pressing her face tight to the device would help her ingest more information), while Ron gave up on his rant about pudding and began to talk to Seamus and Dean about the team Tor Town had put together for The Gauntlet Tournament. The fact that Tor Town never won the Tournament did not stop Ron from declaring like so many fans before him that 'their year was this year!'

Harry, after getting his dex out and releasing Eevee so he could slip him some of the roll he'd pocketed, decided to do some people watching. In one corner Hermione's roommates were giggling about something, their hands flailing about. Padma (or was it Parvati... Harry couldn't remember which twin was in Gryffindor) and Lavender had released their Pokémon, a Smoochum and a Chingling, and were cooing over the two baby Pokemon.

In the other corner Draco Malfoy was holding court. Harry did his best to appear as if he weren't paying attention, not wanting the blond-haired Slytherin to realize that he was being watched. Draco was leaning back in his chair, lazily waving his hand about while several other Slytherians gathered around, putting in their two cents. Draco's Pokémon, a Snivy, somehow looked even more stuck up than her master. Pansy Parkinson was hanging on every word while her Treeko lazily chewed on a bit of straw, ignoring the world. Behind Draco were Crabbe and Goyle, both of whom would have found themselves quite comfy as part of Dudley's 'Harry Hunters'. Flanking them were a Sawk and Throh, both of who looked more intelligent than their trainers.

"Where's Prof. McGonagall?" Hermione hissed, shutting her dex and letting her Ralts out of her pokeball. The psychic pokemon looked about before spotting Hermione and hurried over to her, giggling as she toddled over. "Ralts!" Hermione cried out when the little Pokémon tripped over her own feet and nearly fell off the table.

Draco threw his head back and laughed."Leave it to a clumsy new blood to have a pathetic Pokémon!"

Hermione cradled Ralts, stroking her back while glaring at Draco. "What is your problem? Ever since I met you you've been a jerk!"

"My problem?" Draco sneered, easing himself up from his chair. "My problem is that they are handing out pokeballs to any fool that walks up to a counter with some pokedollars in their pocket." He held out his hand and Snivy easily jumped from the desk onto his arm and then to his shoulder, perching there like some bizarre parrot. "Pokemon belong to those who have it in their blood to train them... not to new bloods like you. It is people like you that are robbing trainers of their good name." He glanced at the boys and rolled his eyes. "I don't get any of you. Longbottom, your family has been training for generations... doesn't it upset you that this girl is daring to think she is on the same level as you? And Potter... well, I warned you about hanging out with trash."

"Trash? You're full of shit, you know that Malfoy?" Ron snapped, surprise Hermione as he leapt to her aid.

"A Weasley jumping to the aid of filth... I am so shocked," Draco said with a smirk.

"At least my dad became a gym leader the honest way... everyone knows the only reason your father's gym is official is because while he was being 'forced' to help Voldemort Harry's dad was actually fighting him..."

"My father won accreditation fair and square!" Draco roared, Crabbe and Goyle taking a step forward. "Maybe if Potter's father had been a better fighter-"

Harry had felt many emotions in his short life: fear, sadness, loneliness, despair, depression, disappointment... but in the last few days he had also come to know happiness and joy. But at that moment, for the first time, he felt an emotion that until then he had only seen in others.

Rage.

"You shut your mouth, Draco!" Harry roared, leaping out of his chair. Eevee was instantly at his side, baring his little teeth as he glared at the still snooty Snivy. Many in the class went silent, eyes wide in shock as the seemingly quiet boy turned into a bubbling pit of anger. "You know, I heard once that actions speak louder than words. You are always talking about how great you are and how wonderful... how about you prove it, right here, right now!"

"You want to battle me?" Draco asked.

"Harry, don't," Neville said, tugging on his sleeve.

"Yes.. unless you are scared." Harry challenged, ignoring Neville's protests. "You can't weasel your way out of it if you lose. Everyone will see just how much of a liar you are... and that scares you to death, doesn't it?"

The Gryffindors let out cheers, clapping their hands. When Harry had appeared in the Great Hall all of them had been disappointed with what they saw: a small, scrawny boy who looked like he would run away crying at the sight of his own shadow. But now, standing up to Draco, the self-elected head of the Slytherin first years, they found the boy they had been hoping to see. This... this was Lily and James Potter's son.

"Shut him up, Draco!" Pansy cried.

"Yeah, show Potter whose boss!" Crabbe declared.

Draco's eyes seemed to flicker for just a moment before a mask of indifference slipped over his features. "My first battle at Hogwarts is going to be something special... not a fight with some orphan."

"That's ok, Draco," Harry said, a cocky smile of his own forming on his lips. Had his Uncle Vernon seen it he would have first been shocked by the look, then tried his hardest to slap the cocky out of the boy. "I'll wait till you've had your first battle... then me and my Eevee will take you are your little green snake down."

Draco opened his mouth to say something, only to be silenced by a rolling growl the filled the air. All the students turned and watched as a large Liepard emerged from the shadows, her golden eyes narrowed as she gazed upon the students. The students began to back away in fear as the cat strolled among them, her tail flicking back and forth lazily as she did so. A pink tongue darted out, licking her sharp teeth as she looked upon them.

Then, to their shock, the Liepard rose on her hind legs, her body shifting and changing until, in a matter of seconds, Prof. McGonagall stood there, her Purrloin in her arms.

"Mr. Weasley, 10 points from Gryffindor for cursing." Before Draco could fire off a snide remark, McGonagall locked eyes with him and his good mood shriveled. "30 points from Slytherin for name calling. I would suggest that, unless you want to add detentions to that, you sit down and think about how you represent yourself, Mr. Malfoy."

The class quickly sat down, half of them stunned by the rapid way McGonagall had taken out the two loudest students in class… the other half had their jaws dropped still from realizing that McGonagall had somehow merged with her Purrloin.

Sensing exactly what this other half was focused on, the professor walked over to her desk and set Purrloin down. "What you just saw is a technique called pokemagnus. One of the rarest feats, there are only a handful of trainers that are able to perform it. Would anyone like to take a guess why?"

Hermione raised her hand. "Due to the difficulty of joining and separating two minds?"

"While that is true, it is not the answer I was looking for. Ms. Greengrass?"

A blonde haired Slytherin with a Vanillite floating beside her smiled. "You have to have a high level of trust between you and your Pokémon to ensure they will allow a bond."

"10 points to Slytherin." McGonagall ran her hand along Purrloin's head. "Nothing that you learn in Hogwarts will matter if you do not have the trust and respect of your Pokémon… and they do not have yours. To try and do anything with either of you being on different sides or working towards different goals will only lead to failure. It doesn't matter how rare or powerful a Pokémon is… if it doesn't trust you it is no better than a newly hatched Magikarp."

McGonagall held out a pokeball, her Purrloin watching her with mild annoyance before allowing itself to be recalled. It was a good thing to, as in the next moment all the Pokémon in the room began to let out calls of protest as McGonagall pulled a small ball from her desk that dripped with Max Repel.

"Please quiet your Pokémon," McGonagall said, setting the ball down and turning so she could observe the class. Most of the students were having a hard time settling their partners down. Ralts had leapt behind Hermione and was now trying to use the girl's hair as a nest to hide in. Ron's Ratticate had run to the corner, forcing the boy to chase after it. Flora was butting her nose against Neville's chest, trying to convince him to go remove the smelly ball. Daphne's Vanillite was making it snow , it was so agitated. Draco was screaming as his Snivy, who refused to leave his bag, while Lavander's partner hugged her leg and cried.

"I know, I know," Harry murmured, stroking Eevee's head as the Pokémon whimpered and cried out. "It must smell really bad to you. It's ok… it's ok… if she doesn't get rid of it in a minute we'll just leave, alright?" Harry kept his voice calm and lower, hugging his Pokémon close to his chest as he soothed her.

All at once the noise died away, McGonagall tucking the Repel-soaked ball back in the special box in her desk. She waited only a few moments for the students to settle themselves before speaking. "What you experienced here was a moment when your Pokémon were in a state of panic. Max Repel is designed to make Pokémon flee an area. It is not their fault they reacted this way," McGonagall shot a few of the louder students a scathing look, "and screaming and yelling and bullying them did nothing… except give them something to remember the next time you need them to help you.

"In my class, you will learn how to gain your Pokémon's trust and how to ensure that you and they are on the same page. It will be hard… but it will open up avenues you could never imagine. Now then, turn on your dexs and scan your Pokémon."

Harry clicked on his dex, holding it out and letting the infrared scan Eevee.

'_Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. Due to the unstable nature of its DNA, it is considered one of the most adaptable Pokémon in the world.'_

_Type: Normal_

_Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Shadow Ball_

Hermione glanced over at Harry's dex and let out a small gasp. "How does your Eevee know Shadow Ball?"

"I don't even know what Shadow Ball is," Harry muttered.

"It is a ghost type move… Eevees don't learn that naturally."

"Then how did my Eevee learn it?" Harry wondered.

"Question, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked.

"No professor," Harry said, silently pondering how his Eevee could have learned a move it should not naturally know.

~MC~MC~MC~

After a nice quiet dinner (which being Hogwarts meant that a jet liner could have landed and not been heard over the chatter of the children; still, after the first feast and the sorting Harry was glad for a meal where he wasn't the star attraction) the Gryffindors had made their way back to their common room. No homework had been assigned yet so the students were mingling, chatting with each other, comparing Pokémon, and discussing their hopes for the new semester. Harry watched as two 7th years traded info on a pair of Poliwhirls while Percy acted as some kind of mediator.

"Trading," George said, plopping down next to the four first years, his hand automatically reaching up to mess up Ron's hair.

"Trading?" Harry asked in confusion.

"You didn't think that just because you catch a Pokémon you are stuck with them forever?" Fred shook his head, a smile on his face. "To be that young and naïve again."

"You're still naïve," George pointed.

"True." Fred turned to Harry. "A lot of people trade Pokémon. They might have caught one that doesn't work well with their team, or captured a spare with the purpose of trading for a Pokémon they don't have. Some do it because certain Pokémon will only evolve when sent to someone else, kind of a reward for friendship between trainers." The red head leaned back and smiled. "So, how are the ickle firsties enjoying their first day?"

"Other than Prof. McGonagall scaring Ralts..." Hermione muttered, running her hand along the little psychic Pokemon's back, causing her to coo.

"Better that then dealing with Draco Malfoy," Ron said in utter annoyance.

"Why does he act like that?" Harry asked in confusion.

"My running theory is that as a baby a Bonsly crawled up his buttocks," Ron said with a snort.

"Ronniekins and Draco don't get along," George staged whispered.

"He's his father's son," Neville said, checking Flora's bulb for pests. "Lucius Malfoy is a million times worse."

"That's no excuse for being a jerk," Hermione said in annoyance.

Harry turned towards Ron. "You knew Draco before Hogwarts?"

"Me and Neville both," Ron said. "We-"

"Neville and I," Hermione said.

"Huh?"

"The proper way to say it is 'Neville and I'."

"Whatever, Miss Dictionary." Ron turned back to Harry, missing the glower Ralts sent his way. "Because our parents and guardians are gym leaders we get stuck together whenever there is a party or gathering. Draco has it in his head that he is the greatest thing since Merlin discovered beard detangler and he lets all of us know it."

Neville nodded. "He told me once that we could have been friends if I had just learned my place. To him, friends aren't really friends... they are just Pokémon that don't go into balls."

Harry scowled. "That explains the two brutes that follow him around."

"Crabbe and Goyle," George said with a smirk. "They are like shorter, stupider versions of us." He wagged his finger when Ron opened his mouth. "Now now, baby brother, do not even consider make a joke. That is our job."

"Well said," Fred stated. "Now-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The four friends turned, eyes wide as they watched Katie Bell trying to cover her chest. Plusle and Minun were currently darting away, the girl's shirt clutched in their paws.

"GEORGE! FRED!"

"You know what they say, brother."

"Indeed brother," George said before racing for their room, his brother fast on his heels. "When the going gets tough, the twins get going!"

"Mental," Ron said, shaking his head as he watched Katie leap onto a teleporter pad in her pursuit of the twins. He stretched, cracking his knuckles as he did so. "Well, I need to go see Prof. McGonagall. She said it was my turn for a one-on-one session."

"Have fun, Ron." Hermione stood up, Ralts toddling after her. "I'm going to go through my notes again. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night Hermione," Harry said, waving to her as made her way towards her room. Harry settled back in his seat, running his fingers through Eevee's tail, idly staring out into space. He thought about his classes and what he had learned so far. Tracking had been fun once he'd understood what was going on; the only issue was that he needed to learn to think outside the box. He'd failed his first time trying to get the Stantler because he had gone about things straightforward. The second time he'd tried to replica Neville's approach, only for the Zigzagoons to alter their own style to thwart him. If he had any hope of being successful as a trainer, he would need to learn to develop a style all his own.

Partnership had been an eye opener... though not for anything taught that first day. Harry Potter was all to use to being the one that faded into the woodwork and stayed in the shadows. He didn't speak up and he didn't talk back, even when he knew he should. But today, seeing Draco pick on Hermione... it had felt too much like what his aunt and uncle had been like and the boy had felt something flick on inside him. Yes, it had been the comment about his father that had finally set him off, but attacking his friends had started the ball rolling. It was as if one moment he was his normal self... the next a fire had raged in his heart and he had wanted nothing more than to wipe the smirk off Draco's face. Hearing about how horrible the boy was, Harry really wished he had been able to make good on his challenge and battle the blond Slytherin right then and there.

"There is another reason Draco is hostile when near you," Neville said, reading his friend's mind.

"What? I'm sorry Neville, I must have dozed off."

"There is another reason for Draco being a jerk to you." When Harry didn't say a word Neville elaborated. "Your father was a gym leader. Your grandfather too. And his father and his father's father... Potters have always been gym leaders."

"So?" Harry asked.

"After the war with Team Nocturne, a lot of gyms changed hands or were closed up. Lucius Malfoy moved here from Sinnoh and wasn't anyone really important until the war... when he convinced the Elite 4 to let him become a gym leader." Neville looked Harry in the eye and the boy started as Neville's bashfulness faded away. It was only a moment, but it was there, a glimpse of the man he could become. "Lucius replaced your dad as the unofficial final gym leader of Avalon."

"Really?" Harry said in shock.

"Yes. Gyms are normally passed down from parents to their children. Draco should become the new gym leader when his father retires or becomes a member of the Elite 4. But with you around..."

"...there will be those that feel with a Potter back there is no need for a Malfoy gym," Harry finished.

"Exactly. You're a threat to him, Harry." Neville looked down, finding it easier to talk when he was focused on Flora. Flora didn't judge and Flora didn't make him feel as clumsy and awkward. "Harry... be careful, ok? You're... you're the first real friend I've ever had and..."

Neville shook his head, leaping up and dashing back to his room, only to stop when Harry called out, "You're my first friend too, Neville. You, Ron and Hermione. Don't forget that."

Harry didn't see the look of awe or the tears in Neville's eyes. The boy merely nodded once before slipping inside, Harry following after him a few minutes later.

* * *

Author's Notes: I really want to give all the characters a chance to shine. I have been focusing a bit on Neville these last few chapters because he got so little to do in the books from what I gathered, and I want to prove why he belongs with this group.

I will go into greater detail later, but here are the basic rules of pokemagnus: The trainer must have an incredible bond with the pokemon. The Pokemon must be a Stage One Pokemon that can only evolve one time. When bonded, the trainer and pokemon's new form is the evolution of the pokemon.

-Please keep sending suggestions for Pokemon that either a) people train, b) that replace creatures in the story. I am always changing my mind and reworking things based on suggestions, including some that have solved massive problems I had

- Someone asked if this would be grimdark with Pokemon eatting Pokemon. While I won't go into detail about it, I do view Pokemon as wild creatures that will attack others

- The war between Johto and Kanto will be a major point in later years. Just as the comment about the Malfoys and Sinnoh is threading other regions into the history of Avalon.

- I told one reviewer that I tend to assign different music to different characters, regions, and events. Right now we are still using Harry Potter themes, however last chapter, if this were a movie, we would have heard the first notes of Johto's theme. For Johto and the people from there, their music is from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, namely the song Over Hill, which for this fic has the secondary title of Olivine Point.


	8. The Head of Slytherin

Author's Note: Instead of the standard "I don't own this" note, how about a plot bunny: What if Dumbledore had gotten so desperate for a Defense teacher he hired Kermit the Frog? "Hi-ho! I'm here to teach you how to defend yourself against karate-using pigs!"

Oh, and remember to review. Reviews get me to post quicker and the more you talk about, the more likely I will respond with hints of future plans.

* * *

The next morning found Harry thankful for his jacket. All his classes the day before had been either outside in the sun or in one of the main classrooms with regulated heat, allowing him to shuck his gray trainer jacket.

Potions, however, found Harry and his friends down in the bowls of the castle, two floors below the surface. Worse, air conditioners were pumping chilled air into the classroom, making it feel as if they were in a refrigerator.

Ron cupped his hands and blew into them in a desperate attempt to warm himself. A wilting Flora had allowed Neville to return her to her pokeball, causing the chubby boy to become even more skittish and shy without his partner near to offer him comfort.

"Vanillish!" Daphne's pokemon called out in delight, happily zipping over to the AC and taking in several deeps breaths. She happily ignored her trainer's calls for her to come back, focused solely on getting at the nice yummy air.

"Glad to see someone is enjoy this," Ron complained. "Why does it have to be so bloody cold in here?"

Hermione shrugged. "Maybe it is to preserve the berries and other ingredients? I know my berry pouch is insulated to keep them cool."

Harry licked his lips, feeling them go chapped. "I wish we could be outside."

"What's wrong Potter?" Draco called out. "Can't handle a little bit of cool air?" Harry fought the desire to turn around and snap back at the boy, knowing it would do no good. Many of the older Gryffindors had sat their first years down the night before and warned them about Snape. It would do no good to attack the blonde Slytherin, as it wouldn't be an understanding McGonagall that walked in.

"I hate that little..." Ron began, only for Harry to shake his head.

"He's just trying to bait us. He'll get his soon enough."

Ron opened his mouth to protest, only to be cut off by the slow, steady voice of Professor Severus Snape.

"You have all been lied to." He seemed to glide through the room, his footfalls making nary a sound as he made his way towards the front of the class. "Prof. Sprout would have you believe that the most important thing about being a trainer is running through long grass trying to tackle Stantlers. Prof. McGonagall wants you to think that convincing your partners to be around smelly little balls is of the utmost importance. And Prof. Flitwick is so busy cracking open acorns that he does not see that which should be obvious to him."

Snape began to pace, one hand held tight against his back while the other waved about as he lectured them. "If you are here to make friends with your Pokémon and play with them and have them be your companions then I am afraid your parents have wasted their tuition money. Hogwarts will teach you and your Pokémon how to fight and how to win. To win, you must attack... and take attacks as well." Snape slammed his hand down in front of Neville. "Mr. Longbottom, correct?"

"Y-yes sir," Neville whimpered.

"Do you know what will happen to your Bulbasaur if she is hit with an ice beam?"

"She will b-be frozen, sir," Neville stammered.

"And?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow. Neville shifted uneasily and the professor rolled his eyes. "Fool. Your Bulbasaur is a grass type and thus will take twice the damage another Pokémon might take. That means that even a low level attack will injure your Pokémon... perhaps even making it faint. 10 points from Gryffindor for not knowing basic type matchups." Snape pointed as Seamus. "Since Mr. Longbottom is too stupid to help his Bulbasaur, what could you do to unfreeze her?"

"Apply an Ice Heal," Seamus said.

"And what berry can be used to make Ice Heal?" Snape asked, whipping away before Seamus could answer. "Miss Davis?"

"Rawst Berry."

"10 points to Slytherin." Snape gestured towards Hermione. "Your Pokémon has been put to sleep. What can you use?"

"You could use a pokeflute," Hermione said, smiling slightly. "Or you could use a Awaken, with is made with a Chesto Berry-"

"Yes, yes," Snape said, waving her off. "That is quite enough Miss Granger." Snape made his wave back to the class, once more pacing back and forth. "Do you see now? It does not matter how _nice_," he spat the word like it was a foul poison, "you are to your Pokémon or how tough they are. If you wish for them to survive and to win, you must know how to heal them." Snape stared at the ceiling and sneered. "Some of you are probably thinking you can just run off to a Nurse Joy and have her heal your precious little Pokémon. But when you are deep within the bowls of Victory Road, facing down an enraged Machoke after just managing to defeat a Graveller, with half your team fainted and the other half paralyzed, you will wish you had paid better attention to me.

"In this class, I will teach you how to brew potions that will snap Pokémon from the deepest of sleeps. We will capture a blizzard in a bottle and the rage of a volcano in a pill. You will learn how to craft crystals that can bring Pokémon back from the brink of death and give them the strength and power to defeat those that seek your defeat."

Snape paused, his dark eyes slowly locking onto Harry. The young boy shifted uneasily, all of a sudden feeling as if he were covered and dirt and grime and being judged by his Aunt Petunia.

"Well... Harry Potter... our celebrity." Snape walked towards him, running his index finger along the corner of his lip. "Tell me, Mr. Potter, what Pokémon produces berry juice?"

"I... I don't know, sir."

"10 points from Gryffindor. What kind of berry is a Simsage's favorite."

"I don't know," Harry said again.

"10 points from Gryffindor. Name five berries that cannot be found in the Unova region. What use does Bitterroot have? What potion is created by grinding up a Big Mushroom."

"I don't know," Harry said again, panicking as he tried to keep up.

"100 points from Gryffindor-"

Harry looked up at Snape, eyes wide with fear, and the professor paused, his brow furrowed. He stared into Harry's green eyes, seemingly entranced. The boy dared not look away, fearing such an act would cost his house even more points. Already he could feel the looks of disgust and hate from his housemates as they silently screamed for him to answer the questions even though he'd never even heard of 90% of the things Prof. Snape was asking him.

"-is what I will take away the next time you come to class so ill-prepared." Harry blinked in confusion as Snape whipped around and walked over to his chalkboard. "Go to the cupboards and collect a pewter dish and mortar each, along with one mixing bowl for each table. Gather 4 Oran berries and 3 Rawst berry, along with 2 test tubes each." Snape turned around, glaring at the Gryffindors and Slytherins. "Did a stutter? Move!"

The students rushed forward, trying to get to the supply cupboard.

"Back to your seats, now!" Snape growled. The students returned empty-handed, taking their seats and watching his wearily. "You are Hogwarts students, not mindless roving workers from Tor Town." Ron scowled at the insult to his hometown but wisely held his tongue. "You will stand up and gather your items with care. There are plenty of children to replace you if you have an accident but I only have so many supplies. Now... stop dawdling and get your supplies."

The class rose and, in a more orderly fashion, gathered up what they would need to brew their first potion.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Blimey, and I thought my brothers were just pulling my leg when it came to Snape."

Hermione glanced Harry's way and fought the urge to roll her eyes. The boy could understand why; since leaving Potions Ron had apparently become stuck in a loop.

"I just always figured Fred and George were messing with me when they talked about how bad Snape was! I mean... no one could be that bad!" The redhead flailed his arms about dramatically. "But Snape's... worse!"

"He wasn't that bad," Hermione said. When the boys stared at her the girl quickly retracted her comment. "Ok, he is pretty bad, but he isn't the horrific monster your painting him to be, Ron."

"He seemed pretty bad," Neville said, Flora once more in his arms. "Everyone is class got points taken away."

"Except for the Slytherins," Ron said darkly.

"It could have been worse," Hermione said, glancing at Harry.

"Yeah, I thought for sure he was going to take a hundred points away," Ron stated. "What did you do to get him to calm down?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "He just looked at me... and he stopped." The young boy shrugged. "I'm just glad he only took away the twenty points he did."

"Everyone is," Ron said as they stepped into the classroom.

The room designated for Pokémon Battling 101 was set up like some kind of gladiator pit. The students were seated above a pit roughly 5 feet deep, the floor of which was made out of many different metallic panels. Facing the doorway was a special box that could take off and hover above the pit and the students if need be. This was where Prof. Quirrell stood, his purple turban wrapped tightly around his head, his gray labcoat looking to be one size too big for his slender frame. He watched as the students entered and found their seats, nervously playing with the controls to the hover box.

"W-welcome c-class," Quirrell stammered, his shakey voice barely carrying over the wide room. "In th-this class, you will l-learn the art of b-b-b-battling with Pokemon. I w-will teach you basic strategy and s-s-s-several technical machine moves that will help you in your quest to become League Champ and a Pokemon M-master."

Harry learned forward. While he had heard plenty about Pokémon battles, he'd never actually seen or participated in one. When he'd challenged Draco the day before it had been in anger, but with the new dawn Harry had realized that he might have stuck his foot in it; if Draco knew anything about battling he could have easily taken him to town.

Quirrell fumbled for a moment before pressing a button, the metal floor shifted as the plates moved to turn the pit into a hard packed dirt floor. The professor thought for a moment before selecting two Pokeballs and tossing them into the pit. A Dodou and a Diglet appeared, both of them waiting for commands from the teacher. "Th-these two will engage in a mock duel. W-we will cover each step of the b-b-b-battle, then watch as they put it all together."

At first many of the students were rather disappointed. Quirrell's Pokémon moved slowly, their every twitch and shake examined and commented on. Even Harry, who had so little experience with Pokémon, watched the demonstration and fought the yawns that threatened to bubble up from deep within him.

"I knew this was going to be bad," Ron whispered to him. "My brothers told me that Quirrell use to be the Pokemon Studies teacher before he got promoted. He could bore you to tears trying to tell you why a Seedot has such a thick shell."

Hermione glared at Ron in utter annoyance. "Understanding why Pokémon are the way they are is very important, Ron."

Neville looked down at Flora, who was fast asleep in his lap. "You have to admit, this is kinda boring."

The bushy-haired girl huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and ignoring the boys, forcing herself to concentrate even though it was clear to them all that she was just as bored.

"N-now then," Quirrell said after the Diglett had popped back out of the ground after a good five minutes, "why don't we s-s-s-s-sspeed things up a b-b-bit."

What followed was one of the most amazing things Harry had ever seen in his young life. The two Pokémon launched attacks at each other, stringing together multiple moves to create combos and to counter their opponent's attack. Just when one looked to have the edge the other would react and shift the battle to their side. Diglett launched mud at Dodou's eyes; the flightless bird countered by shifting one head away and using this one to guide the other into a double peck attack. All the comments Quirrell made suddenly made sense and the students were gasping out in shock and awe with each move. It didn't matter that they all knew the outcome already… that was forgotten at the sight of this battle.

Harry had moved to the edge of his seat, leaning forward with rapt attention as the two Pokémon battled each other... no. No, they didn't battle... this was a dance. A dance as old as time itself. It was fury and power and beauty and strength all wrapped into one 3 minute display.

Diglett finally won by performing Earthquake, which let the bird Pokémon floundering before it finally laid down in defeat. Quirrell recalled them both, quietly thanking them before turning his attention to the class.

"P-pokemon b-b-battles are not 'you fight, I fight' events. They are d-d-dangerous and potentially deadly. W-when I am done with you, you'll be able to command your Pokémon to f-f-f-fight as I just showed you."

Harry forced himself to look away from the pit, finally noticing that no one was ignoring Prof. Quirrell anymore.

* * *

Author's Notes: As always, comments from the reviews:

-I will be doing the Tournament from Book 4, but it will be expanded, as Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Avalon and Kalros will be represented. While I know Kalros is inspired by France, Sinnoh will be the home of Fleur while Victor hails from Hoenn. Kanto will have some guest stars from the anime, Unova will be a fun treat, and Johto will play a major role.

-Trading will be a part of this story and will not be grimdark. Instead, it will be seen as either a) friends trading to help each other b) ways to trick others (As we will see in Book 2...)

-Continue to send ideas for character pokemon. I espcially like it when you suggest ones for minor characters. Ideas for Dean and Seamus and Tracy and Flitwick and such are always welcomed and more likely to be used.

-The Johto War discussed last chapter was between Johto and Kanto. I see Johto a bit like Ireland, Avalon as Scotland, and Kanto and England. The Sons of Johto will be introduced in this story in book 4 and are revolutionists that fought a war to free Johto from Kanto... they won and now Johto is rebuilding itself as its own separate region.

-Some creatures/characters will NOT appear. Centaurs, for example, will most likely be written out and their lines given to others, as they really only play a role twice.


	9. The Desert Chase

Author's Notes: I do not own Harry Potter or Pokemon. I do own a desk though. It's made of mahogany...not just any mahogany, mahogany from the planet of Malchior 7, where the trees are 300 ft tall and BREATHE FIRE! From these trees this desk was forged 2000 years ago using ancient blood rituals of the Malchior people! Not only does this make my desk neigh indestructible, but it can BEND THE FABRIC OF THE UNIVERSE ITSELF! Also it's a very fine material, very expensive... mahogany.

* * *

Harry forced himself to focus on what Prof. Hooch was saying and to leave all thoughts about Prof. Flitwick's Pokéball Crafting Class behind. It was hard though... knowing that his mother had been so skilled at the art of pokéball making that she had been all set to become an instructor in the art… it made Harry focus on every word the short professor had spoken.

Luckily for the boy, pokéball making was a rather interesting subject. Prof. Flitwick had told the gathered Gryffindors and Ravenclaws that almost every pokéball started out life the same, as a standard pokéball that lacked its protective shell. These shells were made from acorns; apple-sized nuts with incredibly dense outer coatings. When an electrical current was run through these shells, the result caused them to produce energy that would produce different capture results.

He'd explained that a trainer with knowledge and skill could create their own pokeballs for specialized situations, such as ones designed to capture aquatic Pokémon or large Pokémon. Those that received masteries in the study and creation of pokeballs could sell their creations to net a tidy profit.

_"Professor, aren't most pokeballs readily available at Pok_é_centers?" a girl from Ravenclaw had asked. "Wouldn't it save time to just buy your pok_é_balls?"_

_The professor had smiled at the comment, showing he felt no ill-will towards a comment that could be construed to mean that he was teaching an outdated method. "While it is true that you can purchase those balls, the cost is quite high. The money I spent on getting 10 pokéball cores would get you one great ball... and the pokéballs I could make with these would offer me a better chance at capturing the Pokémon I was going after._

_"Furthermore," he had said, standing on his desk so he could look down upon them rather than have it the other way around, "Pokécenters only sell the most basic of acorn pokéballs: pokéballs, great balls, ultra balls, and a few of the specialty types like nest balls and dusk balls. In your third year we will begin learning how to create pokeballs made with multiple shell shards, using layering and fusion to create specialty balls that offer capture rates greater than any ultra ball."_

_Seeing that they were hanging on his every word, Flitwick looked around the classroom before speaking. "Can anyone tell me the name of a mastery level pokéball?"_

_"A cocoon net?" Ron had called out to the surprise of his deskmates._

_"Very good, Mr. Weasley! A rather rare ball indeed! 10 points to Gryffindor!" Flitwick had pulled out his dex and aimed it at the wall, projecting the image of a orange and red pokéball. "The cocoon ball fires off first a net to capture a pokemon. Should they attempt to escape, a second net is fired that interlocks with the first to create a coccoon-like wrapping that completely mobilizes smaller pokemon. Anyone else?"_

_"A static-stun ball," a ginger Ravenclaw boy had said._

_"Correct!" Flitwick had said happily, changing the image to that of a yellow ball with black bolts along its body. "The static-stun uses an electricity-generating acorn with a energy collecting shell. When thrown, an electric Pokémon's own energy is collected and used against it, stunning them to make capture easier. Let's have another one."_

_"The ShadowFlame ball."_

_Flitwick stared at Harry, the boy squirming under the intense gaze the professor sent his way. All at once it made him feel as he was being judged. He hadn't wanted to mention the ball, but the opportunity to learn about something his mother not only used but made was too great for the boy to deny._

_"The... the ShadowFlame..." Flitwick had said, struggling to hold his composure. He'd managed a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yes... yes, I remember that one well." His fingers had trembled slightly as he clicked a few buttons on his dex, the projection then flicked over to an all black pokéball that seemed to have veins of lava running just under the outer shell."Designed by Lily Potter in her fourth year-" the class began to murmur over this bit of trivia, "-when thrown it produced a flame that casts shadows all around the Pokémon intended for capture. These shadows looked like threatening creatures, causing even the most terrifying of Pokémon to cower." _

_Harry had stared at the image of the ball his mother had made and suddenly felt the overwhelming desire to hold that ball in his hands, to feel its weight in his hands. There was nothing left of his mother and father; no trinkets or heirlooms that could be passed down to him. That ball, however, even if not built by his mother himself, would give him a piece of her that he could call his home._

_"A Master Ball," Hermione had said. The moment the words left her mouth Flitwick had given a start, as if broken from a deep sleep._

_"A... a master..." Something Harry couldn't quite place had flashed in the short professor's eyes; it was a mixture of fear, confusion, anger, and guilt. "A master ball is a myth."_

_Hermione had frowned. "But what is it? I found a reference-"_

_"It is a fairy tale," the ball maker snapped a bit more harshly than he'd intended. "A story told to children. Put all thoughts of it out of your mind. Now then, let us discuss the properties of the first ball you will be working with: a blue acorn..."_

Harry had wanted to stay after class and ask Prof. Flitwick more about the ShadowFlame ball but his friends had dragged him to the Great Hall for lunch. Even Hermione had wanted to get a big meal in her, citing the fact that they had Environmental Survival with Prof. Hooch and they would need their energy.

They were once more outside, though on the opposite side of the castle from where Prof. Sprout taught tracking. A large field the size of a football pitch lay out before the children and with a few taped keys on her dex Prof. Hooch had activated the field's main program. The gathered Slytherins and Gryffindors had leapt back as the bits of broken wall rose up, a crumbling well seemed to swell out of the ground and a high archway broke through. The landscape had altered to resemble an abandoned desert village.

"When you are out trying to catch Pokémon, you will find yourself in some of the harshest of environments," Hooch said. Here, you will learn how to sense danger and avoid the environmental dangers that could see you killed. Release your Pokémon."

The students did as they were told and soon the area right in front of the field was filled with all manner of Pokémon. Some, like Harry's Eevee, rubbed against their owners' legs and let out pleased calls. Others, like poor Ron, had to deal with their Pokémon glancing at them before going to sleep. Hermione's Ralts was looking at all the students, her little mouth in a small 'o' as she examined all the people.

"Now, allow me to demonstrate." Hooch tossed out her pokéball and a magnificent Staraptor cried out. The professor nodded before rushing into the desert obstacle course. Her Staraptor flew up high, diving down and screeching occasionally. The students quickly began to realize that Staraptor was letting the professor know what obstacles were up ahead. Prof. Hooch had just avoided some quicksand and began to climb a wall when her Pokémon cried out, the professor leaping away just as a Rhydon lashed out, destroying the wall. The Professor ducked behind a wall and Staraptor began to act as a diversion, allowing Hooch to get around the large Pokémon and return to her students.

"As you can-"

Hooch never got to finish, as the Rhydon, frustrated he had failed to stop her, lashed out, striking a half-crumbling pillar. Chunks of stone flew at the class, the students crying out and leaping out of the way. Neville cried out as a piece stuck him in the leg, sending him crumpling to the ground. Hooch whipped around, aiming her pokéball behind her and recalling the Rhydon, before moving towards a crying Neville.

"Bulbaba!" Flora snapped, vines lashing out at Hooch. "Saur!"

Hooch held out her hands, backing away. "I am sorry. I will speak to my Rhydon about his temper and he will be punished." Harry watched in amazement as Flora remained on guard, glaring at the professor and refusing to let her near the whimpering boy. "Please, Neville is hurt."

"Saur!" Flora snapped, one of her vines jabbing at Hooch.

"This... this is amazing," Hermione whispered. "I've read of Bulbasaurs protecting their brothers and sisters like this... I've never seen one do this for a trainer."

"Bulbaba," Flora said, glancing back at Neville before returning her gaze on Hooch and Rhydon's pokeball.

"Professor," Harry said, taking a step forward, "let me try."

"Mr. Potter, that Bulbasaur is quite enraged. She will strike you down-"

"She is mad at you, Professor," Ron stated. "Not Harry."

Harry was already moving forward, crawling on his hands and knees towards the Bulbasaur. "Flora... Flora, you know me, right?"

"Bulbaba saura," Flora stated, eyeing him warily.

"I'm Neville's friend... just like you. He's hurt and Prof. Hooch needs to take him to see the school nurse. I know you want to protect him but you have to let her near him."

"Bulba!" Flora exclaimed, shaking her head.

"Please Flora." Harry reached out, his steady hand not giving away his shaking nerves.

"...saura," Flora finally said, stepping to the side and allow Harry and Prof. Hooch to move towards a crying Neville.

"Hurts..." Neville whispered.

"I know it hurts," Hooch said, reaching down and picking the boy up. "We'll go see Nurse Joy and she will have you all better in no time, ok?" Getting a weak nod, Hooch strode towards the castle, a grumpy Flora following right behind her, letting out chirps of annoyance every step of the way.

"Listen to him cry," Draco said with a laugh once Hooch was out of earshot. "You'd think his leg had been chopped off!"

Hermione wheeled around, jabbing her finger at Draco. "You'd be crying to if you had a piece of rubble smash into your leg!"

Draco, instead of answering, merely turned his nose up at the bushy-haired girl. "Watch where you point your finger, Granger... people have been banished from Avalon for doing less to offend a Malfoy."

"Stop acting like you're some big shot, Draco," Ron snarled. "Daddy isn't here to protect his little boy."

""I... I don't need for father to protect me!" Draco fired off. "And even if I did, at least he could actually do something, unlike your pathetic excuse for a father."

Dean and Seamus grabbed Ron, keeping him from launching himself at the blond Slytherin.

"This is the shining examples of Gryffindor!" Draco said to his fellow Slytherins, earning laughs from all his cohorts. "A dirty first gen, a crybaby, and a dirt poor nobody who can't string two words together." Draco reached down and snagged Neville's backpack, laughing as he unzipped it and began to rummage through it.

Harry stepped toward, Eevee standing beside him as the boy looked at the blond Slytherin in disgust. Draco was at once all three of the Dursleys rolled into one package: Uncle Vernon's prejudice and close-minded beliefs, Aunt Petunia's greater-than-though attitude, and Dudley's desire to find those weaker than him and bully them for the sheer pleasure. The Dursleys, for as long as he could remember, had made his life miserable. They had found what little joy he could grab from life and had made it their mission to snuff it out and grind it under their heels.

Now, in this amazing, wonderful world Harry found himself in, he saw the same horrid ideas, attitudes, and actions being thrown about. Only he wasn't the target, it was his friends. Ron, Hermione and Neville had looked at him and not seen Harry the freak or Harry the pathetic waste, but just Harry. Even after he'd learned the truth about his parents they had still seen him as Just Harry. They hadn't suddenly changed how they acted around him; they had remained his friends.

And now they found themselves in the same spot at Harry had been just a few days ago: bully, belittled, and treated like dirt. There was one different, however.

Unlike young Harry, they had someone willing to fight for them.

Harry grabbed Neville's backpack from Draco, the blond yelping as one of the zipper's cut his palm as Harry pulled it away. The Slytherin stared at his bleeding hand, then at Harry, then back at his hand. It was as if he had never seen his own blood before.

"This... does not belong to you," Harry said sternly, tossing the backpack on.

"You... cut me," Draco said in disbelief.

"And you actually bleed... guess you aren't the god you think you are," Hermione taunted.

"You... you are dead, Potter!" Draco roared. "Snivy, get him and his little rat dog!"

"Sniv," the Pokémon said, rolling her eyes as she launched a rather lazy Vine Whip. Harry and Eevee easily dodged the move, the grass snake Pokémon narrowing her eyes in annoyance. "Sniv!" it declared, firing off another Vine Whip

Harry rolled out of the way. "Eevee, tackle!" Harry called out. Eevee leapt forward, striking Snivy in the chest and sending the Pokémon tumbling into Draco's leg. Seeing the other Slytherins moving to support Draco, Harry did the only thing he could think of: he ran.

"Get him!" Draco screamed, leading the Slytherins into the desert ruins. "Get back here Potter!"

This was familiar ground for Harry. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine that he wasn't running on sand but instead through the streets of Little Surrey, Dudley and his gang fast on his heels. The 11-year old quickly spun around a wall waiting for Draco and the rest of his crew to pass before doubling back. He could hear them cursing when they realized he had outfoxed them but the boy continued on, paying no heed to their threats.

"Crabbe!" Draco called out, the larger boy leaping from behind a pillar he had been hiding behind. For any other student, the sight of that wall of flesh would have made their knees knock and their hearts drop with terror. For Harry, he merely smiled; Crabbe was a lot smaller than Dudley.

Harry reached down, snagging Eevee and holding him tight as the boy did a quick jig to his left. Before Crabbe could realize what was going on Harry went into a baseball slide, passing under a broken pillar before rolling into a 3 walled-structure. He placed a finger to his lips, Eevee silently nodded as Harry began to creep around, listening carefully.

"Where did he go?" Draco demanded in frustration.

Crabbe sounded befuddled. "He was right here..."

"Well, unless he is invisible, he isn't here!" Draco screeched.

"Draco, you shouldn't be running so hard," Pansy Parkinson whined, setting Harry's teeth on edge. Pansy was like a fun-size version of Aunt Petunia, minus the fun. "Your poor hand was viciously slashed by that disgusting little boy... you need medical attention."

Draco quietly considered this. "Yeah... and when I see Hooch I can get all those Gryffs expelled!"

Harry looked down at Eevee, a frown marring his face. He was use to this too: someone telling lies about him and everyone believing them. He'd hoped that Hogwarts would be different, that here the truth would actually matter and not the words of those with power and control, but with Draco proving that bullies like Dudley weren't exclusive to Little Surrey, he didn't want to risk this little reminder of home being true as well. He had to get back to his friends before Draco was able to whisper in Hooch's ear. Not just for his sake, but the sake of his friends.

Eevee looked up at him, his little paws scratching at the sand. Harry raised an eyebrow in surprise as Eevee bumped his leg before kicking once more.

"You want to try something?" Harry asked, getting a quiet yip in response. "Alright... are this point I'll try-"

"Potter!" Draco snarled, leaping to stand in front of the boy and his Pokémon. Eevee waited for only a second before turning his rear towards Draco and, after sticking his tongue out as Draco's Snivy, unleashed his newly learned Sand-Attack.

"Arrrggg!" Crabbe shouted, trying to cover his eyes as the cloud of sand struck the Slytherins. Their eyes burned and their nasal passages felt as if they had been rubbed over with coarse sandpaper. Harry quickly backed out, Eevee fast on his heels as they made a mad dash out of the simulated desert.

"Harry!" Ron called out, taking a step towards his friend. The boy panted, putting on a bit of speed...

...only to find himself lifted off the ground by Hooch's Staraptor.

"What is the meaning of this?" Prof. Hooch snapped, glaring at the sand-caked Slytherins that were emerging from the obstacle course. "I leave you all for 10 minutes and you are running around like wild hooligans?"

"He attacked me!" Draco exclaimed, holding up his bloodied palm.

"After you stole Neville's backpack!" Hermione shot back.

"I did no such thing! I was merely picking it up so I could take it to poor hurt Neville when Potter ripped it away from me!"

"That is not what happened!" Ron shouted. Dean and Seamus began to point at the Slytherins while Draco and his group sought to build sympathy by stating their case as loudly and dramatically as they could.

"ENOUGH!"

All the students turned, their cries and calls dying on their lips as Prof. McGonagall stormed towards them.

"Mr. Malfoy," the head of Gryffindor began, cutting to the chase and not letting the boy get in a word, "might I suggest that unless you have permission you should not be handling items that do not belong to you." McGonagall walked up to Harry, who'd been dropped back to his feet, and held out her hand, the boy giving up the backpack. "Mr. Potter, please come with me."

Harry fought hard to keep the hot tears that burned in the corners of his eyes from falling. It was Little Surrey all over again and his heart clenched in agony at the thought that this new, wonderful life would be taken from him once more.

"Professor," Hermione called out. "Harry-"

"I believe you children still have class, Miss Granger. I suggestion you get back to it."

Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Gryffindors looked down, clearly not liking the idea that Harry was going to get in trouble because of the actions of Malfoy. Draco and his crew were all smirks and Pansy even gave Harry a cheeky little wave goodbye.

"If you do not want to be spending the rest of the week in detention scrubbing the Great Hall, I'd suggest you wipe those smirks off your face and focus on what Prof. Hooch has to say." The students did their best to look chastised, though McGonagall's troupe knew this to be nothing more than fake tears.

The real tears were coming from Harry, the boy's body trembling with terror as he was led into the castle. He found himself almost colliding with McGonagall a few times, his vision was becoming so blurry. In some ways, this was even worse than Little Surrey; there he didn't know any better and had come to accept his punishments as the norm. In Avalon he had been given a taste of friendship and belonging and now because of another bully it would be snatched away.

"Mr. Potter, I...?" McGonagall turned, her brow knit in confusion at the tears that were rolling down the boy's cheeks. "Mr. Potter, what's-"

"EEVEE!" The little Pokémon made himself known, mimicking Flora's earlier actions and leaping between his trainer and the one that had hurt him. The furry pokemon growling, tail wagging as he prepared to fight off the professor.

"Mr. Potter... Harry, I need Eevee-"

"NO!" Harry cried out, falling to the ground and clutching the Pokémon tightly. "Please... please don't take him..."

McGonagall looked about, her stony demeanor cracking as she tried to figure out what had happened. The boy had gone from quiet to hysterics in moments and it left the Partnership Professor befuddled. "Harry, calm down..."

"Please... please..." Harry sobbed, waiting for the smacks and the screams that were sure to come. He had tried to fight off the panic, remembering how to do so from his days with Uncle Vernon, but the threat of Eevee being taken from him was too much for the small boy. He fought to regain control of himself but he could feel his heart pounding so hard in his chest that it was likely to explode.

"Harry," McGonagall said gently, kneeling down. She reached out to touch his shoulder, not missing the way he flinched. "You just spent the last 10 minutes running like mad from a gang of Slytherins... your adrenaline is pumping and this is heightening your emotions." Harry sniffed, focusing on her words, his fears forgotten as McGonagall talked to him. "Just focus for a moment, ok? Just focus and let yourself calm your."

The boy nodded, the tremors that had been slamming his body subsiding as he took several gulps of air. There was still the odd tremble that would shake his frame, but within two minutes he found himself able to actually focus on the professor.

"Harry... no one is going to take Eevee away. He is your Pokémon." Harry looked at her, reaching up to wipe his running nose with the sleeve of his jacket. McGonagall intervened, handing him a tissue. Eevee, sensing his trainer's panic dying down, nuzzled his chest... though he still eyed McGonagall warily. "Harry, why are you so frightened?"

"You're... you're going to expel me."

This was news to the teacher. "Why would I do that?"

"Draco said he was going to get you to expel me and now you're taking me away and-"

"Breathe, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, seeing the signs of another panic attack coming. She was glad everyone was in class, as she didn't want to have to try and explain what she was doing kneeling on the ground with an upset child and a snarling Eevee facing her. She reverted to using his last name, finding it the only way to keep herself afloat in the strange situation she found herself in. McGonagall was use to children becoming upset when they got in trouble, but the way Harry was panicking had even her stoic heart clenching. "Mr. Potter, who is the headmaster of Hogwarts?"

"P-prof. Dumbledore," Harry hiccupped.

"Correct. Not Draco Malfoy... despite what his ego might think." She silently cheered the small smile that formed on the boy's lips. McGonagall stood up, motioning for the boy to do so. "Harry, I should have explained why I was pulling you from class... that was wrong of me and I am sorry. It is not to punish you."

"It... it isn't?" Harry asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"No. You see, i was watching as you ran through that obstacle course. While I cannot condone you doing so, or the way you handled Mr. Malfoy," Harry blinked, wondering if it were his tears that were making it appear as if McGonagall was smirking, " I can say that I have never seen someone run the course as well as you did."

"My... my cousin use to play Harry Hunting," the boy said softly.

McGonagall frowned at that little tidbit but didn't comment… for now. "Mr. Potter, the reason I pulled you from class is because I wanted you to meet someone but I couldn't make it look like I was rewarding your behavior. You were still in the wrong for going into the obstacle course, no matter how honorable your intentions and I didn't want to people to think I was favoring you. I should have taken your feelings into account... it is so easy to forget you aren't Ja... oh, here he is now." Harry looked up at the lean boy that had turned the corner and hurried over to join them. "Harry, this is Oliver Wood... he is the captain of Gryffindor's Gauntlet Team."

"O... ok," harry said, clearly confused. He'd heard Ron mention The Gauntlet before but didn't really know what it was or why this captain person was here.

Oliver smiled. "Prof. McGonagall sent me a text... seems you are really good at avoiding people trying to get you." The boy smirked. "And it just so happens that I am in need of someone with your talents..."

And with that, Harry's fears turned to joy and wonder as Oliver Wood began to explain the wonderful competition that was known as The Gauntlet.

* * *

Review Responses:

-The goal is that while the bones of Harry Potter will still exist, plotwise, this story will take off on its own course and with new twists and turns. This is a true Alternate Universe, where echoes of canon will appear at times but will also in the end go down its own path.

-I chose Dumstrang to be Hoenn because I want Cynthia to be connected the Fleu and Cynthia is from Sinnoh.

-The Johto/Kanto War will play a huge part in Book 4. I wanted to create a conflict that would allow Harry to see both sides of the issue and for him to be able to relate to both: on one hand, Jack Kenway and the Sons of Johto fought for freedom against an oppressive regime. On the other, Lance fought to stop rebels from toppling a government. I am basing Johto on Ireland and its relationship with Britian (thus Jack will, at times, slip into a Johto/Irish accent...boy-o)

-continue to send suggestions for pokemon... the more obscure the character, the better your chance that I will use it.

-The next few chapters will be quite long, due to the demands of the story needing them to be, so I expect LOTS of reviews to make it worth it. ;)


	10. There is no Tiny

Author's Notes: Instead of the disclaimer, how about a song? Old man river... that old man river...

* * *

The next few days for Harry Potter had been a whirlwind of new experiences.

After their awkward hellos Oliver Wood had explained how the Gauntlet had worked. The teen had been rather excited, flailing his arms about as he spoke and gesturing wildly, going off on weird tangents. It had taken McGonagall reeling him back in for Oliver to explain the game in simpler terms.

The Gauntlet saw teams of seven, competing against each other to earn the most points. Each member used a single Pokémon and had to work with not only their partner but their teammates to increase their score while hindering their opponents.

Oliver had explained that the games took place in several different 'arenas', each one designed to replica or honor a famous event. The one Harry had gone through during Prof. Hooch's class was the basis for one arena that retold the tale of Marlo the Wanderer arriving at the desert ruins in Unova and defending them against bandits. When the Gauntlet Captain had begun to describe sandstorms, earthquakes, and deep fissures Harry had suddenly understood why McGonagall wouldn't want to encourage other first years to attempt to run the course without supervision.

The Gauntlet Teams were divided into three positions. There were two Dashers, who made their way through the arena attempting to complete different challenges to remove points from their total score; the first team to zero or with the lowest points at the end of the game was the winner. These tasks included hitting targets, collecting flags, defeating Pokémon released by the judges, and making it to different checkpoints. Standing in their way were four Defenders. Their job was to trap the Dashers and prevent them from completing tasks. They did this by setting traps and driving the Dashers off with their Pokémon.

The other job of the Defenders was to hunt down and capture the Runner. Each team had one Runner, whose soul job was to get to the end of the course. The moment a runner got to their safe zone they removed 100 points from their teams score and the game ended. Runners were one of the most important parts of any Gauntlet team and had to be fast, flexible, and able to think on their feet. Their Pokémon had to be in perfect sync with them, as one false move would lead to separation... and separation could be a loss.

McGonagall had assured Harry that even with his young age he was already showing promise of being a great Runner. Oliver had bemoaned the fact that their previous Runner had been too straight forward and would end up pinned down, forcing the Gryffindor Defenders to come to their aid and allow the other team's Runner to score a victory. He had told Harry he needed someone that knew how to escape when the numbers were against him and could come up with creative ways to get out of tough situations. He'd promised that with work Harry would be an excellent Runner.

The second new experience had come just as McGonagall was opening her door to let Harry out of her office. She had barely turned the knob before Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Hermione, Lavender and Parvati fell through the doorway, ending up in a heap at the doorstep.

When McGonagall had pressed them the students had admitted that they were afraid that their head of house was unfairly punishing Harry and wanted to come to his defense. Neville had begged her to punish him instead, pleading that it was his fault that Harry had hurt Draco. Ron had shouted that Draco was a 'great bloody liar' and Harry hadn't done anything. Hermione had begun spouting off regulations from the Hogwarts Rules and Guidelines Handbook and making veiled threats about lawyers.

Harry, for the second time that day, had thought he was going to cry. Never had he had anyone care about him enough to worry about the treatment he was receiving from others. Here were his housemates rushing to his defense, telling McGonagall to ignore every Draco said and 'free Harry Potter'. It was... amazing.

McGonagall had finally forced the children to quiet down and had informed them that Harry, as punishment for his actions, would be helping Gryffindor's Gauntlet team win the Silver Cup. This resulted in a lot of whoops and hollers and pats on the back. Harry had thought he was going to go deaf and be bruised for a week; it was totally worth it.

The rest of the week had seen Harry's days become a maelstrom of activity. He would wake up, let Ron, Seamus and Dean fight for the sink before getting ready, walk with Hermione and Neville to the Great Hall to join Ron for breakfast, then head to class (they still hadn't convinced Hermione that they didn't need to get their 30 minutes early; Ron had taken to snagging biscuits and eating them on the walk). After that was lunch, followed by more class.

In the evenings Harry would spend two hours practicing with the Gauntlet team, learning their playbook and practicing against the Defenders. All four of them had promised to hold nothing back, telling him that they wanted him to be ready for whatever Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and especially Slytherin had planned. Unlike Dudley and crew, the Gryffindor defenders, led by Katie Bell, would take the time to explain to Harry how they had caught him and make suggestions on what he could do next time to get out of the situation. When he managed to avoid them and make it to the safe zone the entire team had cheered his name and left the boy grinning ear from ear.

Friday night saw his first break from practice, but that did not mean he had free time. He'd received a note from Hagrid, asking if he would like to come to his cottage on the edge of the island for tea. Harry had responded that he would love to and asked his friends if they wanted to join him. Hermione had promised to come next time, choosing instead to focus on studying for Tuesday's Potion class. Neville had also bowed out, having already promised Flora to take her for a nice walk.

"I don't know if I should be chaffed or chuffed!" Ron exclaimed as the two of them walked along the path to Hagrid's cottage. "No first year is on the Gauntlet team!"

Harry's brow crinkled in worry. "You aren't mad, are you? I know you love the Gauntlet."

"Not mad," Ron admitted, kicking a stone. "Jealous as hell, yeah. Wish it were me." He wrapped his arm around Harry and smiled. "But then I look on the bright side."

"And that is?"

"When I'm in my third year and can try out, I'll already have a friend who can put in a good word for me!"

"I don't know, Ron," Harry said, hating to burst his friend's bubble. "Wouldn't you rather get on the team because of your skill instead of knowing me?"

Ron chuckled. "Harry, George and Fred are on the team, remember? I'm going to NEED you to convince the others to ignore everything those two chuckleheads say about me."

Harry laughed as well; he could completely see the twins purposely using a place on the team as a way to prank their little brother.

Hagrid's cottage was a large two room structure that sat on the edge of Hogwarts. Of course to the boys the cottage was huge; to Hagrid it was rather cozy and at times cramped. There was a small picnic table off to the right and a high bench next to the door where the gatekeeper of Hogwarts sat, going through a large bag of berries and tossing those that were too bruised or spoiled into the water. Every once and a while a tentacle from the Tentacruel that lived in the lake (known to many of the students as Mr. Squishy Hugs for his playful way of greeting returning students) would zip out of the water and snag one of the treats.

"'arry!" Hagrid called out, setting down his bag and ambling over to the boy, giving him a hug. "'ow are ya?"

"I'm great, Hagrid," Harry said with a smile. "Hagrid, this is my friend Ron Weasley. Ron, this is Hagrid."

"Please ta meet ya, Ron!" Hagrid exclaimed, wrapping his massive hand around the red-heads and giving it a shake that nearly had Ron's teeth rattling. "Come on, come on... I got some tea ready, as well as some nice biscuits." Hagrid led them into the cottage, the boys taking a seat on a bench so high that it could have easily served as a dining room table. The interior of the cabin fit Hagrid's personality perfectly: full of strange items that drew one's interest in, with furniture that was plain yet strong. All along the walls were photos of Hagrid with different students, as well as photos of the giant happily posing with different Pokémon. In each and every one he wore the same large grin, proving that while his life might have seemed rather plain to outsiders for him it had been full of laughs and joy.

Snubbull wandered over and while Ron let out a squeak at the fierce looking Pokémon, Harry knew he was just a big ol' softy. Ron's tension eased away as he watched Harry happily stroke Snubbull's back, earning a rumble of pleasure from the Pokémon.

"So boys, 'ow are ya enjoyin' your first week?"

Harry grinned. "Its... its been amazing, Hagrid!"

"Well, tell me all about it!" Hagrid said, grabbing his tea cup (which looked to the boys to be the size of a soup bowl) and took a long sip. Ron eyed the tea with a critical eye, only to make a funny face when he took his first sip and found how utterly sweet it was. Harry didn't notice, as he was too busy telling Hagrid all about the train ride, meeting Ron and Neville and Hermione, getting sorted (which earned a cheer from the man, who informed Harry he had been in Gryffindor too), and classes. Hagrid had puffed up in pride when he heard that Harry was going to be on the Gauntlet team, admitting he'd always wanted to play but had stopped after his first practice in fear for his Pokémon being hurt.

It felt nice to have an adult that wanted to hear about his day and cheer on his accomplishments. Harry found himself smiling and warmth flowing through his chest, and it had little to do with the tea. Harry made sure to include Ron in his story telling, as he could tell that the red-head was fighting the urge to just begin telling the entire tale himself. Hagrid too urged them on, clapping his hands and stomping his feet whenever Harry told a rather funny and dramatic part.

"Well, I'm glad ya are enjoyin' your first week 'ere, 'arry. I know my time at 'ogwarts was the best time of me life... part of the reason I never left!" Hagrid let out a deep belly laugh at that, nearly sending the table toppling over with his mirth.

Ron lifted his cup up to prevent it from spilling. "You really enjoy working at Hogwarts, don't ya Hagrid?"

"Course, Ron. Prof. Dumbeldore lets me have my own little home, spend time with children like you two, and I even get to work with Pokemon like me Tiny."

"Tiny?" Harry asked.

"...you didn't hear any of that."

"Yes I did," Harry said.

"Me too."

Hagrid became flustered. "Er... no ya didn't. Trust me, it'd be best that you don't know about Tiny and him bein' on the third floor."

"Tiny is on the third floor?" Ron asked. "That's the floor Prof. Dumbledore told us not to play around in."

"Why is Tiny on the third floor?" Harry asked.

"He ain't there and there is no Tiny!" Hagrid exclaimed in a panic. He gathered up the tea cups and dumped them into the sink with a clang. The boys barely had time to catch their breath before the large man was shoving them out the door. "Now, you boys best be gettin' back to your dorms before Filch catches ya."

And with that he slammed his door shut.

Harry blinked in surprise."Do...do you think he's mad at us?"

Before Ron could answer Hagrid opened the door back up. "You... you wouldn't mind stoppin' back in next Friday, would ya?"

Harry smiled at the way the giant seemed to shift about like a nervous three year old asking for a lollipop. "Sure."

"Good!" Hagrid said with a grin. "Well, you boys get back and avoid the third floor, lest Tiny get ya." He shut the door, only to open it a third time. "There is no Tiny."

"Right," Ron said, catching on. Hagrid closed the door and the boys began the trek back to the castle. "Harry, what was that about?"

"I have no idea."

~MC~MC~MC~

The boys made it back to their dorm with plenty of time before dinner, much to Ron's delight. Taking a seat next to Hermione, Neville and Dean, Ron had taken out his dex and began flipping through it while Harry released Eevee and gave him a nice brushing. The fluffy pokemon cooed, tail twitching with glee with every pass of the brush.

"Anything good in the news?" Harry asked. Other than Ron and himself everyone else was reading their copies of the Galahad Daily, devouring the news about the Region. Harry relied upon the rest of them to let him know about the important headlines, as he simply didn't know most of the people the papers talked about. Jack Kenway was no different than Lance Blackthorn in his opinion (though Hermione had warned him not to say it out loud, considering those two had been bitter rivals during the Johto/Kanto War).

"Tor Town lost again," Dean said, 'but that isn't really that big of news."

"They just are in a dry spell!" Ron snapped, his blinders fully on when it came to his favorite team.

"Keep telling yourself that," Dean laughed, giving them a wave before heading to his dorm.

"They are still investigating the break-in at the Galahad Pokécenter," Hermione stated.

"There was a break in?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Uh huh," Hermione said, scanning the article. "Someone attacked during the night shift... a couple tellers were injured but... oh, that's lucky."

"What's lucky?" Neville asked, setting his paper aside and placing Flora on his lap. The Bulbasaur let out a happy squawk and shifted to find a comfy position.

"The vault the robber tried to get into was empty," Hermione said. "It was emptied just hours before."

"That is lucky," Neville said. "Another day and it could have ended a lot worse."

"Lucky for us too."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, pushing aside his grumbles about To Town and focusing on the conversation.

"They robbed it the night after we all got on the train for Hogwarts... imagine if they had hit when we were in there!"

"Meh," Ron said, waving off Hermione's concern. "If you begin worrying about what might have happened you're going to go more mental than you already are."

Hermione glared at him, jabbing her finger at him. "Just because you enjoy being lost in a cloud of your own delusions-"

"Delusions? At least I am not worrying myself sick about what might have happened!"

Harry ignored his friends as they bickered. Something about the entire robbery tugged on his memories, trying to dredge something up. He thought about that day, wondering if he had seen something unusual, perhaps a glance at someone that might have been the thief...

... but for some reason his mind kept flashing back to Hagrid picking him up from Ollivanders... patting the bulge in his jacket that had only appeared after he'd made the emergency run back to the Pokécenter.

~MC~MC~MC~

All thoughts of Tiny, robberies and the third floor left Harry's mind as he began to concentrate on his school work and Gauntlet practice. He and his friends soon found themselves falling into a rather comfortable pattern. Hermione had by the start of their third week come up with a chart showcasing each of their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to create pairings that would optimize their talents.

Neville had quickly become the go-to expert in tracking. Even after two weeks Hermione had found herself still too caution and overthinking her strategies while Ron simply didn't have the patience to do little more the rush in. Harry was ok, but still struggled to find a strategy that felt comfortable to him. Neville excelled at tracking, much to the shy boy's discomfort.

Neville also did well in Partnership, as did Hermione and Harry. None of them did wonderful at it, so Ron was stuck trying to fend for himself. Scabbers simply refused to listen to him. McGonagall had told him in private that Pokémon respond only to trainers they felt were strong enough to earn their respect. Scabbers didn't see Ron as worthy and the boy was going to have to work hard to get his Raticate to obey him.

Ron had moped at that, bemoaning the fact that without a Pokémon that would follow his orders he'd never be able to catch any other Pokémon. His family simply didn't have enough money to afford buying him a Pokémon from Ollivanders and his father had orders for their Ratattas from foreign buyers and the family wasn't wealthy enough to cancel an order just because Ron's Pokémon acted up.

Harry had managed to finally get his friend out of his funk during their third week when he had pointed out that with the right type of pokéball Ron could catch a new Pokémon without having to battle it.

_"But I can't afford to buy a great ball!" Ron had complained. "And they don't even let you get those till 3rd year!"_

_"You could build a ball," Harry had pointed out._

_"What?"_

_"Think about it, Ron! I asked Prof. Flitwick and he said my mom custom made all her pokeballs by fourth year. You might not be able to create a new type, but I am sure you could build something in class that would give you better odds at catching a new Pokémon!"_

Much to Hermione's surprise Ron had thrown himself into learning the ins and outs of ball building after that. To Hermione's _annoyance _Ron proved to have quite a hand at creating pokeballs... just not explaining HOW to create them. He didn't remember the names or the proper terms for the methods he used to assemble them; when he had built a Heavy Ball he'd told her that he used 'the darker acorn and done a cut thing that was kinda a zigzaag before twisting it a bit'. She'd stared at the redhead for 30 seconds without speaking before throwing up her hands and stomping off.

Harry, obviously, was the best at Survival Class. He could dodge, twist, and avoid any attack or trap Hooch sent his way. It got to the point that the professor began having him go first and using him as a demonstration.

Ron did well enough in the class but Hermione and Neville found themselves at the bottom of the bunch. When Millie was doing better than someone it was an eye opener and Hermione had come to dread her sessions with Prof. Hooch.

Not of them did well in Potions. That isn't to say they were bad at it; yes, Neville was a disaster waiting to happen but that was mostly a self-fulfilling prophecy. Neville would believe he was going to mess up, which would cause him to lose focus and thus mess up. It only took one of his friends keeping an eye on him to get him to at least make it through a class without having something explode.

Harry and Ron were average at best and Hermione managed to complete the potions correctly each time. Her problem was that Snape never bothered to pay the slightest bit of attention to her. He was either busy handing out points to the Slytherins (even Goyle, who was worse than Neville, got points) or would be breathing down the next of a Gryffindor, waiting for them to make a mistake so he could dock them points.

Defense was a coin toss at best. On the theory side Harry was rubbish and he knew it. Sit him down and force him to do a test of the type advantages a Shroomish had and he was at a loss. When it came to the practical usage, however, Harry was a protégée. Eevee would follow his every command and the two of them proved to quite an interesting team when it came to completing challenges.

This day found Quirrell having the students out of their seats and facing clay targets set up on a metal stand. Prof. Quirrell had already demonstrated the task by having his Doduo perform a peck attack that left the target in pieces, with only a 1/4th of it remaining on the stand.

"The g-goal," he stuttered, "is not accuracy. W-w-we will f-f-f-f-focus on this next. R-right now I want you to d-destroy the t-t-t-target. S-shatter it to pieces with only a single at-t-t-t-tack."

"Come on, Scabbers," Ron said, pointing at the target. "It's easy!" He walked up to his target and tapped it with his knuckles. "Give it a try!" The Pokémon just yawned. "If... if you do it I'll give you a treat at supper! Not lettuce, either... something sweet!" Scabbers considered this before rushing forward, his Hyper Fang leaving a good third of the target removed.

Flora growled, performing Tackle. Neville offered praise but the Pokémon merely shouted 'Bulba!" and demanded another target.

"Ralts," Hermione called out, "use… uh… Confusion?" The psychic pokemon nodded… and hit Dean's Tailow. "Sorry!" Hermione called out.

Harry crouched down, examining the target while running his fingers through Eevee's fur. The Pokémon glanced up at him and for a moment Harry swore his partner was reading his mind. It was only the fact that Eevee wasn't a psychic type that convinced him that this wasn't true. Still, the Pokémon nodded towards the target and Harry knew they were both thinking the same thing.

"Prof. Quirrell?" Harry called out, drawing the professor away from Draco, who had managed to get his Snivy to destroy all but an inch of his target with an Iron Tail. "You said this exercise wasn't about accuracy, right?"

"Y-yes Mr. P-p-p-potter," Quirrell stammered.

Draco snorted. "What's wrong, Potter? Did all that shaggy hair clog your ears?"

"Eevee," Harry said calmly. "Shadow Ball."

"EEV...EEEEEE!" The ball of ectoplasm shot out of Eevee's mouth... and struck the stand. The metal didn't give way, but that wasn't the point; the stand wobbled before tipping forward, the target hitting the floor and shattering into a thousand little shards. Harry walked over and picked up the stand, which didn't have a single piece of the target hanging on it.

The Gryffindors blinked before exploding with cheers. Harry blushed, his eagerness to show up Draco fleeing in the face of all the praise that was being sent his way. Ron clapped him on the back, a huge grin on his face as the Gryffs cheered and the Slytherins scowled, waiting for Quirrell to punish Harry for the act.

"Wait... isn't that against the rules?" Hermione asked, hating the fact that she was acting as a mouthpiece for the Slytherins. Her sense of rule-following prevented her from keeping quiet.

"Why would it be?" Seamus asked. "Prof. Quirrell told us to destroy the target; he didn't say a word about having to hit it to do so."

"Th-that is true," Quirrell said.

BANG!

Everyone turned to find Neville standing next to his fallen stand, Flora grinning as she kicked at one of the shards. Ralts, not to be left out, walked over and casually bumped her stand.

"That... that..." Draco was fuming; he had done exactly as Quirrell had told them and his Snivy had done better than anyone else in class. And yet here was Harry Bloody Potter managing to trick his way into a victory.

It was lost on Draco that Harry and him had switched places: Draco had attacked the problem head-on like any Gryffindor would, while Harry had been the quintessential Slytherin and found a loophole that allowed him to achieve a better end with less effort.

"Well done, mate!" Ron exclaimed, a giant grin on his face. Was he annoyed that it took bribing Scabbers to perform the task? Of course. Was he thrilled that his best friend had taken down Draco Sodding Malfoy? Ab-so-lute-ly.

Pansy scoffed. "A lucky break," she declared. "Draco's Snivy was able to destroy the target with ease. You only managed to do that through dumb luck and using the ground!"

Harry glanced down at Eevee and smiled. "Well boy, want to try it a different way?"

"Eevee!" the Pokemon declared.

The class grew quiet as Dean set up a new target. Harry and Eevee stood before it, looking like a pair of gunslingers right before a big shootout. Harry narrowed his eyes, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. Eevee's bouncy energy faded away as it focused on the task at hand.

"Eevee... up."

The Pokemon leapt onto the target, balancing with ease. The class frowned, wondering what Harry was attempting... then gasped as Eevee began to rock back and forth. The stand wobbled, tilting left then right, before Eevee launched himself into Harry's arms, the final push sending the stand smashing into the wall and shattering Harry's second target.

"There... I didn't use the ground and I didn't even use an attack."

The cheers from Gryffindor filled the classroom arena and Harry managed not to duck his head as his classmates swarmed him, patting him on the back. Ralts, Flora, Dean's Tailow, Seamus' Cubone, Parvati's Smoochum and Lavander's Chingling went up to Eevee and let out their own praised.

Only Quirrell, Scabbers and the Slytherins didn't join in. Quirrell was too busy trying to figure out if he should award points, Scabbers had taken a nap... and Draco and his crew were fuming over the lousy Gryffindor stealing their thunder.

* * *

Review Comments

-Keep sending your ideas for Pokemon for characters. As you can see, i have used some suggestions

-It was important that Neville and Flora have an interesting relationship. I wanted them to be so close that you basically see them as one complete being.

-I totally changed the Gauntlet from what Quidditch was because I wanted to do different things with it and not just do "Oh, the snitch is really this pokemon!"


	11. The Trophy Room

Author's Note: Let's see and... yup, still don't own either of these.

* * *

Hermione Granger was not a light sleeper.

This wasn't to say that she could sleep through a herd of Tauros stampeding through her bedroom or that her dreams were so deep that she could snore her way through the End of Days. Her parents had never had a problem getting her up for school and if they called for her once she was up and ready without any further prompting.

But she wasn't one that would awaken from Morpheus' embrace by the slightest of sounds. Hermione wasn't some princess that would toss and turn just because there was a tiny little lump in her mattress. When she went to asleep she stayed asleep.

So, when she found herself awoke after only an hour and a half after curfew, the bushy-haired girl was confused. She sat up, blinking her eyes as she tried to identify what exactly had pulled her from her dreams.

BZZZZ! BZZZZ!

Scrambling, Hermione grabbed her dex and quickly pulled it under her sheets, ducking her head beneath them so she could look at the screen without waking her dorm mates.

_'get dressed n meet us in common room asap- HP'_

Hermione frowned, her brow furrowed as she considered the message. For the briefest of moments she was worried that this might be a prank; this idea was cast aside almost instantly when she remembered who had sent the message. Fred and George might have pranked her and Ron as well, but Harry would not do something like that to her. She'd seen the way he glared at the twins when they pulled a fast one and knew in her heart that Harry, much like herself, had suffered from the affects of bullying. Thus, she had to treat this as what it appeared to be: a legitimate request.

Moving quietly, Hermione quickly pulled on her jeans and the t-shirt she had laid out for the morning. She tiptoed to the transporter, stepping on it as she pulled on her jacket. The familiar spin overtook her, then she found herself in the common room staring at Harry and Ron, who were talking to a clearly nervous Neville.

"Hermione!" Ron said, a bit too loud for her tastes but at least it hadn't been screamed; apparently the word 'subtle' couldn't be found in Ron Weasley's vocabulary. She hurried over, looking at the three in turn. "What?" Ron said, noticing the look in her eye.

"What rules are we breaking?"

"Huh?" Ron said.

"You two," she gestured at Ron and Harry, "clearly want to break some kind of rule and Neville is trying to talk some sense into you." The shy boy nodded, Flora fast asleep in his arms.

"It is a matter of honor, Hermione!" Ron whispered. "And a chance to stick it to Draco!"

Harry, instead of answering, held out his dex for her to read.

'Potter- Trophy room, midnight, battle. Draco Malfoy'

"Even uses punctuation in his messages… suck a dick move," Ron muttered.

"You do realize this could be a trap," Hermione said dryly.

"That's why the three of us are going to go and cover Harry's back!" Ron wrapped an arm around his friend. "If Draco thinks he can hurt Harry under our noses he's a bigger idiot than I thought."

"And you already thought he was a massive idiot," Harry teased. He turned towards Hermione, his smile dropping when he saw her stern features. "I need to do this, Hermione. Draco has been giving us crap all month and I want to show him that we're not going to let him do it anymore."

"Hermione, please," Neville whimpered, trying to be the voice of reason. "It's past curfew... Filch is out in the halls with that cat of his... he'll catch us for sure!"

Hermione shuddered at that. Argus Filch was the night watchman for Hogwarts and notorious for his sour attitude and the joy he took out of punishing students. Rumors were whispered that he had been abandoned as a baby and raised by wild Mightyenas; the truth was that his night shifts meant that he slept during the day and the constant noise from children going to and from class meant he could never get a full 8 hours of sleep. That left him a grumpy sourpuss that spent most nights half awake.

While Filch might hate children he LOVED Pokémon and the one that held the biggest piece of his heart was Mrs. Norris. The cat was a bloated Purrugly, fat even for its kind, that Filch would lovingly stroke and pet as he walked down the halls, unleashing the beast on students he found out of their rooms. More than a few trouble-makers sported white scars from Mrs. Norris' claws and the vision of her bulk settled on their chests as she prepared to hack a hairball on them could cause even the toughest of students to awaken from nightmares screaming.

"We'll be ok," Ron answered. "Filch will be near the Ravenclaws dorm for the next hour; everyone knows he hits Gryffindor first and last."

Harry nodded. "If we are too long we will bunk down in a classroom then head straight to breakfast. No one will notice a thing."

Hermione huffed. "This is so wrong."

Ron rolled his eyes. "I told you we shouldn't invite her! We'll be lucky if she doesn't run to McGonagall and tell her where we are going!"

"I'm not a snitch!" Hermione snapped.

"Come on, Hermione... you want to be there when Harry creams Draco, right?"

Ron's words had Hermione biting her lip. Now that was something she did want to see. "You are sure we won't get caught?"

"Hermione!" Neville hissed in horror as Ron began pushing the boy towards the door.

"Neville, calm down... what is the worst that could happen?"

"Great, you just jinxed us," Hermione muttered.

"As long as we don't say we're going to split up I think we'll be fine," Harry deadpanned as the four students made their way out of the common room.

~MC~MC~MC~

"This is very exciting, guys," Hermione said drolly. She was sitting on the floor, a yawn trying to escape from her as she watched Ron and Harry pacing back and forth, clearly agitated. Neville was near the door, having already dozed off with Flora sitting happily on his lap.

"Where the heck is he?" Ron asked. "He said midnight, right?"

"Yes," Harry said, checking his dex. "Midnight in the Trophy Room." Harry waved his hand at the display case that hung before them. "And unless there is another Trophy Room-"

"There was one but 125 years ago they decided to convert it into a storage room and move the older trophies to the Le Fay's Landing Museum."

The boys stared at Hermione.

"What? It's right there in 'Hogwarts: A History"."

"You actually bought that app?" Ron asked in surprise.

"Of course, didn't you?"

"Heck no!" Ron exclaimed. "Why would I want to waste good money on an app that tells me a bunch of useless facts!"

"Don't you think it is important to know the history of your school?" Hermione shot back.

Ron scoffed. "History is exactly that, history. I am too busy looking ahead to look back."

"Too busy looking at your plate full of fries, you mean," Hermione snapped, moving so her face was pressed against Ron's. The lack of sleep and the worry that she had broken the rules for nothing had left the girl on the razor's edge and Ron's attitude was shoving her over.

"At least I have my nose buried in something other than a dex!"

"Guys!" Harry shouted, forcing his friends apart. Hermione huffed and backed away while Ron crossed his arms over his chest and let out a scoff of annoyance. "Fighting isn't going to do us any good."

"At least there is some fighting going on," Hermione said, earning another glare from Ron. "Harry, Draco is not going to show up. He obviously sent that message as a prank to get you out of your bed and down here."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah... I think you are right."

"Hermione is right about something and letting us all know it... shocker," Ron muttered, still bitter about their fight.

"He's probably lying in bed right now, laughing at us as he cuddles up to a mirror." When Ron and Harry just looked at Hermione in confusion the girl sighed. "Because he loves himself."

"Ah."

"Gram, I don't want anymore broccoli," Neville murmured, twitching in his sleep.

"Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione froze.

"Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

"Oh... shit," Ron said. Hermione was so panicked she didn't have time or energy to be scandalized by the red-head's cursing. "Harry, the lights!"

The boy hurried over to the door, flicking the light switch. The classroom was plunged into darkness and the three students blinked, straining to see through the inky blackness. Hermione finally pulled out her dex and held it up, letting the mute light to guide them.

"Neville," Harry hissed, grabbed the boy and giving him a shake.

"Wha?" Neville cried out. Harry clapped his hand over the boy's mouth, his other hand grabbing Flora's beak and pressing it shut. The Bulbasaur glared at him in outrage but Harry shook his head.

"Mrs. Norris."

"Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

That had both Neville and Flora going silent. Harry pulled them into the far corner, the four students and the Pokémon hiding behind a thick desk. Hermione's face was ashen and Ron was sweating bullets as they heard the clomp-clomp-clomp of Mr. Filch's boots on the hallway floor.

"What's this, pretty?" Filch's gravelly voice asked. Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he heard the door open and light spilled in over their heads. They weren't able to see Filch as they were hidden behind the desk, but they could easily hear him and Mrs. Norris as they stood in the entryway. "You hear some students in here, getting into trouble?" Filch took a step forward, laughing as he did so. "I have been in need of some little hands to help me unclog the 5th floor toilets."

It was only Harry's hand clamping down on her shoulder that kept Hermione from leaping up and begging for forgiveness. The girl turned, eyes wide with fear, but Harry merely shook his head no. Years of hiding from Dudley had given Harry a sixth sense when it came to avoiding danger and he knew when to run and when to lay low. This intuition had served him well when he had been chased by Draco into the Gauntlet grounds and now it was serving him to avoid detention with Filch.

Harry looked over at the others, shaking his head slightly when Neville shifted. He wanted them all to remain still and, bringing his hand up and slowly lowering it back down, motioned for his friends to quiet their breathing and calm their nerves. It would do no good to give into panic; better that they remain in control and focus on what was happening then dreaming up the worst case scenarios.

They were all just so jumpy and twitchy. He really couldn't understand why they didn't just sit there and remain still. They were all so ratcheted up that he knew their muscles would be aching in the morning. Harry, meanwhile, was calm, his body loose as he worked to keep his breathing steady. He done this enough to know when it was time to feel fear and his guts were telling him he was ok for the moment.

Filch shifted, Mrs. Norris growling when no one popped up with tears in their eyes, begging for forgiveness. This was new; most times when he gave a threat the students would appear and plead for leniency. Depending on how he was feeling and just how many times he'd run afoul of him… well, he wouldn't give them leniency but if they were good he wouldn't give them hope.

The watchman let out a growl of his own when the students refused to play by the rules. He could go marching into the classroom and drag them out but that was too much work and if Filch had wanted to work hard he wouldn't have taken this job. "I ain't in the mood to play hide and seek! You want to sit in here, shivering in the shadows? Fine! I'll be waiting out in the hall for you to wise up and take your punishment!" Filch turned, plodding away with Mrs. Norris letting out a final cry before heading after him, the door to the classroom slamming shut and making the four trainers jump.

Harry kept his hand on Hermione's shoulder, his eyes locked onto Neville's as he counted. He'd learned well from Dudley that just because someone said they were leaving didn't mean they actually were. The foursome sat there for five minutes, quiet terror gripping them.

"Ok," Harry whispered, allowing Hermione to open her dex and illuminate their faces once more. "Keep your voices low."

"I knew this was a bad idea," Neville whimpered. "Now we are going to have to unclog toilets!"

"It isn't that bad," Harry said.

"This is very bad," Hermione grumped.

"No, I mean cleaning toilets. At least Filch isn't making us use our toothbrushes." The others looked at him, clearly thinking that was a joke, and Harry didn't have the heart to tell them it wasn't. "Alright, we need to figure out a way out of here."

"Getting out of here is easy," Ron said, "it's avoiding Filch and Mrs. Norris that is the problem."

"Maybe a distraction?" Harry offered. "I could toss some stuff around, get him racing in here while you guys escape."

"But they you'll be the one in detention," Neville reminded him, Flora nodding in agreement.

"It's my fault you guys are in this situation. I'm not going to let you be punished because I fell for Draco's trap."

"I bet he's the one that let Filch know we were in here," Ron said darkly. "I'm going to punch that arse so hard..."

Harry shook his head. "Ron, you do that and he will have you in detention or worse."

"Forget about Draco," Hermione said. "We need to figure out a way out... without ANYONE getting detention."

"Maybe Filch will move on?" Neville offered.

"Not bloody likely," Ron muttered. "My brother Charlie use to say that Filch was like his Purrugly when she sees catnip. He won't give up."

"We need a way to get around him," Harry muttered. "There wasn't anything in the hall we could hide behind, was there?"

"Nothing," Ron replied bitterly.

Hermione began bouncing up and down, a hug smile on her face. "Wait! Wait!" She grabbed her dex and began to rapidly scroll through the different apps. "I know I... where is it... hmmm..."

"Great, she's gone even more mental than usual," Ron complained.

Neville shook his head. "I don't think so, Ron."

"Yes!" Hermione quietly cheered. "375 years ago, Headmaster Tobius Rosewood had a series trap doors installed, including one in the Trophy Room, after he became convinced that there was a ghost haunting the bathroom three doors down." Hermione began to scurry about on her hands and knees. "The school doesn't use it anymore but... here!" She pulled on a slate of wood, revealing a depression her hands could easily fit in. With a tug Hermione pulled open the trap door.

"What's below?" Neville asked nervously.

"Another classroom," Hermione said.

"It could be a field of cactus for all I care!" Ron said. "Anything is better than Filch!"

Harry grabbed Ron's shoulder. "Let me go first... if anyone gets hurt it should be me, since I led us into this trap." The others looked ready to protest but Harry had already taken a steady breath and let himself slide through the opening. His friends waited for a moment, fearing the next sound they would hear would be the crack of bones.

"It's ok! I landed on something really soft! Come on!"

Ron was next, plunging into the darkness. Neville looked down at Flora, worrying his lip before closing his eyes and diving down. Hermione took a final moment to make sure nothing was left in the Trophy Room to alert Filch they had been there, then took the plunge, grasping the door and shutting it behind her.

"OOMPF!" Hermione rolled over, flashing Neville a sheepish smile when she realized she had fallen on his legs. The boy rubbed his knees, Flora glancing at Hermione before determining she wasn't a threat. "See, told you!"

"How did you know about that trapdoor?" Harry asked.

Hermione smirked, staring right at Ron. "They talked about it in 'Hogwarts: A History'."

The redhead glowered at that. "Ok, so it helped us ONE TIME... that doesn't mean it was worth the money."

"It was if it kept us away from Filch," Neville reasoned, shifting on the squishy mound they had landed on. "Harry, could you give us a light."

"Sure," Harry said, turning on his dex's flashlight feature. The beam shone through the gloom and Harry looked about, trying to get his bearings. "Alright, so we must be the next floor-"

"Harry," Ron said softly, "what floor was the Trophy Room on?"

"The fourth. Why?"

"So... we are on the third, right?"

"Yeah."

Ron gulped. "Then I think we are sitting on Tiny."

The children scrambled away, Harry's dex whipped around before finally illuminating their 'cushion'. A huge cream-colored face greeted them, the dark fur around the sides and back of the head making it look as if the Pokémon was merging with the shadows.

"It's... it's a Snorlax!" Neville said, sliding down the massive Pokémon's belly. "Why is there a Snorlax in a classroom?"

"I don't know, I don't know!" Harry repeated, helping Ron and Hermione down before joining Neville and Flora in pressing against the granite wall. The room they found themselves in would have been twice as big as the Trophy Room but thanks to the bulk of the Snorlax it felt very tight. "I think he's asleep."

"That is what Snorlaxes do," Ron said glibbly.

"Let's not wake him up, ok?" Neville said, petting Flora's head trying to reassure her... or reassure himself.

"Why would they have a Snorlax in here?" Hermione hissed, repeating Harry's question.

"Hagrid said Tiny was in the castle... they are using it to guard something."

"There," Ron said, pointing to a spot on the floor just under the Snorlax's head. "I think that is another trap door!"

Hermione nodded. "Just like 'Hogwarts: A History' said: Headmaster Rosewood installed a series of trap door to escape the ghost he thought was haunting him."

"Why are they guarding it?" Neville whispered.

"Must lead to something important," Harry reasoned.

"We aren't going to find out, are we?" Neville whimpered, hugging Flora tight.

Ron grinned, his earlier fear forgotten. "That is a great idea! We should totally figure out what the professors are hiding in here!"

"Why do you think the professors are the ones hiding it?" Hermione asked.

"Who else would be?" Ron reasoned. "I doubt Percy or the twins could get their hands on a Snorlax."

"Prof. Dumbledore did warn us not to go on the third floor... this is probably why." Harry walked around the Snorlax, trying to see if there was a way to get through the trapdoor. "He's too heavy for us to lift... we'll have to come back later and hope he's rolled over or something."

"We could rent a forklift," Ron joked, spotting the exit and making a beeline towards it. "Think we could get Prof. McGonagall to pay for-"

DO-DO-DE-DO-DO-DI-DO-DE-DI-DI-DI

Ron froze, his fingers still wrapped around the turned door knob. The gentle notes filled the air, all four children standing a bit straighter as they felt all weariness fade from their bodies. They didn't feel rejuvenated... more like they felt the desire for their beds being yanked from them with each note.

"What is that?" Harry said in confusion.

"A pokeflute," Hermione said in surprise. "The door must be rigged to make it play when it's opened."

"Why would they do that?" Neville asked.

"Snore...lax."

The trainers turned, watched as the massive Pokémon began to shift back and forth.

"I have an idea," Ron whimpered.

"Snore... lax!" The Pokémon rose up, rubbing its eyes. His jaw clenched and its ears twitched as it was yanked from its wondrous slumber. Turning towards the door, the Pokémon's sleep-crusted eyes caught sight of the four students. Its tired brain put two and two together and realized that these intruders were the source of the foul music that was keeping it from sleeping.

"...I think we should run," Harry hissed.

"No," Hermione whispered. "It doesn't have that great of vision... I don't think it can see us as long we don't move-"

"Snorlax!"

Harry and Ron grabbed Hermione, lifting her up by her armpits and dragging her out the door and into a hallway, Neville only a step behind them. The four dove to the side as a Hyper Beam fired from the Snorlax's mouth, racing across the hall and striking the opposite wall.

""Snore...lax!" the Pokémon bellowed.

"Shut the door!" Neville shouted.

Harry nodded, racing forward and grabbing the doorknob. He could hear the heavy breathing of the Pokémon as it shifted towards them; he feared that at any moment it would stick its head out and fire upon them, reducing him and his friends to dust. Harry tugged, slamming the door shut just as the Snorlax began to charge up another Hyper Beam. He fell back, trembling as he waited for the blast to rip the door apart and take him with it.

Seconds ticked by and only silence greeted them.

"Harry, come on!" Hermione shouted, tugging on his arm. "Let's go!"

"Filch is going to be here any second!" Ron exclaimed, wrapping an arm around a terrified Neville and pushing the boy towards the nearest teleporter. "Let's not be here when he comes to investigate."

Harry nodded, dumbly staring at the door that contained 'Tiny', wondering what could be so important that it needed an enraged Snorlax to protect it.

* * *

Author's Notes: Please continue to review. Reviews get me motivated to write and help ensure chapter get posted quicker. And the more questions, ideas, suggestions, or comments you make, the better.

Review responses:

- Yeah, I wanted to make sure Harry kept some things from the book series and having him be good at fighting and 'dueling' was one of them.

-I wanted to ensure that all the characters have something they are good at. Always bothers me that, compared to Lily and James' generation, Harry's generation... well, sucks. You had 4 animagi, the youngest potions master, and a witch who was not only the smartest witch in years but also so good at ruins she figured out how to defeat Voldemort. In Harry's generation...er... he is good on a broom? Yeah, no. Each character will have something they are great at... and other aspects they suck at.

-Some asked when we would see battles and actual capturing... not for a little while. My theory is that these are 11 year olds and the school doesn't really focus on battling till Year 2 and capturing as well. They are just learning how to train their pokemon.


	12. The Golurk in the Hall

Author's Notes: I really don't think I need to let you guys know what I own. Instead, I will remind you to review, as that is the only way I can contact you and give you spoilers and hints!

* * *

October 31.

Avalon, like all regions, had their own holidays. Kanto held March 12th as Sighting Day; the last known sighting of the Pokemon Mew said to have taken play in Vermillion City. Burning Day was a solemn day in Johto, though June 9th had quickly gained prominence as Independence Day and saw towns reenact Jack Kenway's battle with Lance Blackthorn to end the Johto/Kanto War. In Kanto the 9th was marked as a day of mourning by some and ignored by most. Sinnoh had its Day of the Clock and Hoenn sang lullabies to Groudan on Slumber Saturday. Of course, one would be remiss to forget Unova's Weather Festival when discussing holidays.

But in Avalon, one of the most important holidays was All Hallows Day. It was said that long ago a great darkness had fallen upon Avalon and all manner of specters and phantoms had filled the skies, snatching up the innocent and dragging them into the stormclouds. After 30 days of senseless terror, Merlin had journeyed into the clouds on the back of a Pigeot and battled against the ghosts. At the stroke of midnight, as October 31st turned to November 1st, there had been an explosion of light and Merlin had cast the ghosts down, transforming the spirits into Pokemon to be caught by those that they had fed upon. Since then, Halloween saw trainers in Avalon stay up and celebrate Merlin's victory against the spooks.

Many from the region, both good and evil, had used October 31st as a day to make grand gestures. Several tournaments saw their final matches occur on that last day of October. Ships would be christened and babies born on that day were said to be blessed with luck. Madmen had attacked their victims on that day, believing that those they killed were no better than Merlin's phantom enemies. Wars had been started and crimes committed by those evil in heart, for they thought that the 31st was when the veil between life and death was thinnest.

It was another event, however, that weighed on Harry Potter's mind as he walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast. An event that he hadn't know about until just a few weeks past. 10 years ago, on October 31st at 11:35 pm, Team Nocturne's leader, Lord Voldemort, had attacked a small home on Little Surrey, murdering his father before dying in battle against Lily Potter at the stroke of midnight... though he managed to score the fatal blow that would see her leave this world and have Harry dubbed 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'.

He did his best to hide his feelings as he walked with his friends. Ron was talking a mile a minute, letting them all know what he wanted to eat at the Halloween feast. Hermione was scrolling through her dex, researching some custom Ron had mentioned; she believed it was a relatively new addition to the holiday while Ron boasted it had been around for years. Even Neville was getting into the spirit of things; he wasn't as excited as Ron or Hermione but the smile he wore and the slight spring in his step let everyone know that he was looking forward to the midnight feast.

Harry tried to be excited. He tried to smile and laugh and enjoy himself. But as he stepped into the Great Hall and saw the streamers and balloons that the Clafairies were putting up, all he could imagine was his parents' coffins sitting where the staff table was, dressed up with decorations while students walked by, laughing and loading up their plates with food.

"Harry?" Hermione said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

Harry shook himself out of his misery and forced himself to nod. He had learned well at the Dursleys how to behave and how to act as others wanted him to act. No one wanted to see the tears in his eyes or hear him sniffle over something stupid; that had been drilled in his head since he had been a baby. Tears and pouting lips only invited pain and belittlement. 'I'll give you something to cry about!'... that had been a favorite of his relatives.

Children like him were meant to scurry away rather than draw attention to themselves. To be the focus of anyone's gaze was to invite trouble upon yourself.

Seeing all the excited students mulling about, eating their breakfast and dreaming of the fun to come that night... it left Harry forcing a smile upon his face and mimicking Neville's bouncy steps. He didn't want to draw attention to himself or ruin their fun with his moping.

Even if seeing all the smiling faces was quietly killing him inside.

~MC~MC~MC~

Ron laughed as he slammed his chocolate pokéball against the table, sending little shards of coco goodness flying all over. "Alright!" He exclaimed, popping a piece in his mouth as he pulled out the plastic prize that had been hidden within his treat. He lifted up the small figure, which was shaped like a white flying rodent with a black back, rosy checks, and electric yellow 'wings' between its arms and legs. "An Emolga!"

"What's an Emolga?" Seamus asked.

"Only one of the coolest electric type Pokémon there is!" Ron boasted. "I am so going to catch on!"

Hermione brushed her hand along the table, sending the bits of chocolate from Ron's ball scattering. "Good for you."

"Hey, that's wasting good candy!" Ron complained, trying to snatch up bits of the treat before they ended up on the floor.

"Maybe if you hadn't smashed it against the table..." Hermione said, grabbing a knife and carefully breaking her own chocolate pokeball open.

"That's part of the fun, though," Ron reasoned, eyeing Hermione's treat. The bushy-haired girl smirked before passing her ball to Neville. "You are so not fun."

"What did you get?" Neville asked, showing Flora the plastic Numbel that had been in his ball.

"Clafairy," Hermione said. "You know, they still haven't answered my letter."

"What letter?" Neville asked, not seeing Ron waving his hands and mouthing 'no!'.

Hermione huffed. "The Clafairy cards that come with the Chocolate Poliwags are printed wrong. They still say that Clafairy is considered a normal type when we know it is a dual Normal/Fairy."

"I never got that," Ron complained. "How can there be a new type. Why not just keep things the way they are?"

"We are learning new things about Pokémon all the time, Ron." Hermione took a sip of berry juice before continuing. "That's the whole point of going off on Pokémon adventures: learning new things about Pokémon. New types and new moves and new evolutions... that why-"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I asked," Ron said dismissively.

"Ooooh," Dean said, seeing how red Hermione's face was getting. "Ron, you never say that to a girl."

Hermione opened her mouth but Ron was saved from her rant by Prof. Dumbeldore tapping his knife against his glass. The students grew quiet as the headmaster began to speak.

"I am happy to welcome you all to our annual Halloween feast. Every year we gather together to celebrate Merlin's victory over the spirits and phantoms that terrorized Avalon." Looking over his moon-rim glasses, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he gazed upon each and every one of his students. "I know that there are many that feel that Halloween has become little more than an excuse to stuff ourselves with candy and stay up past curfew, but I hope every one of you remembers the true meaning on this holiday. When I was..."

"Ron, stop!" Hermione hissed softly, slapping the boy's hand.

"Ow!" Ron whimpered, rubbing his abused fingers.

Hermione gave him no sympathy. "Those are Harry's."

Ron huffed. "He won't mind."

"Maybe, but you aren't going to take his candy until he tells you himself that it is ok."

Ron looked around. "Where is Harry?"

Hermione blinked, realizing that Harry had left an hour ago and hadn't returned. "He said he was going to the bathroom... I wonder what is taking so long?"

"When ya got to go, ya got to go."

Hermione, ignoring Dumbledore's speech, let out another huff and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are disgusting, Ron Weasley!"

"And your-"

"I don't think he's coming back," Neville stated, looking down at Flora. The Bulbasaur had grown quiet, bumping her head against his chest. "This must be killing him, seeing everything like this… today of all days."

"What do you mean?" Ron whispered.

"What is today?"

"Halloween," Hermione said, before her eyes went wide. "Oh... oh no."

"What?"

"Ron... Harry's parents died on Halloween."

"So?"

"So?"Hermione snapped, a bit louder than she intended. When those around her turned towards the friends Hermione quickly lowered her voice. "So? Don't you think that it might be a touch difficult for Harry to see us all celebrating the anniversary of his parents' death?"

"But... but we aren't celebrating that!"

Neville shook his head. "We know that and Harry knows that... up here." Neville tapped his forehead. "But in here?" He tapped his chest. "Here is a different-"

"GOLURKS!"

The students all turned as one, Prof. Dumbledore pausing in the middle of his rambling tale about a Halloween 23 years earlier that involved several beets , a sleepy Paras, and a pair of purple socks. The entire hall watched as Nurse Poppy Joy raced into the hall, her eyes wide with fear. Her cap had flown of her head in her rush to get to the Great Hall and she was panting hard as she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"GOLURKS! GOLURKS IN THE SCHOOL!"

"Nurse Joy!" McGonagall called out, trying to get her friend to take a breath and speak in a rational, understandable manner. "What are you talking about? Golurks?"

"Probably a prank," Snape snapped. "Nothing more than shadows and fog..."

Poppy glared at the man. "I know a Golurk when I see it!" She turned to face Dumbledore. "I was heading down to the dungeons to pick up some Burn Heal Prof. Snape had made for me when I spotted them! Two huge brutes lumber towards the stairs-"

Dumbledore's dex let out a piercing ring and the students closest to the staff table clutched their ears as the emergency call filled the air. Dumbledore quickly tugged out his dex and flipped it open. "Prof. Quirrell?"

"Th-there are G-g-g-g-golurks in the school, Albus!" Quirrell yelled, his voice sounding tiny over the dex's speaker. "I have located two near the Ravenclaw dorms! Don't let anyone out of the great hall!"

"There are two more in the dungeons," Dumbledore said.

Quirrell let out a squeak. "Are... are you sure?"

"Positive, Poppy spotted them. I will go with Minerva and Filius to deal with them and send Pomona and Severus to you-"

"No!" Quirrell cried out, the sounds of battle ringing over the speaker. "You are going to need all the help you can get taking down the last two! I managed to surprise one and take it down quickly but… but this second one is proving quite the challenge. I will make it but it would be a waste to send aid!" The students were all shocked; who knew Quirrell could go three words without stuttering?

Albus nodded, turning off the dex. "Poppy, you and Pomona stay here and guard the children. Severus, Filius, Minerva, come we me. Rolanda, find Hagrid; we might need his strength." Dumbledore looked at the children, a smile no longer on his lips but a caring glow shining around him like a halo. "Students, I ask you all to stay here. Golurks are not to be taken lightly and wandering about will only injure yourselves and your teachers. Please, enjoy your meals and do not worry. Prefects, keep your fellow students here."

"How did Golurks get in here?" Hermione asked in confusion as the professors rushed out of the hall. "The school's security systems should have alerted the headmaster if one wandered close to the school."

Ron didn't answer, as he was more concerned with trying to get his brother Percy's attention. The Gryffindor prefect ignored him, focusing all his attention on the twins, as he feared that Fred and George would use the attack as an excuse to go out and have some adventures.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Neville asked.

"Harry's not here," Ron reminded them. "He's still wandering around the castle."

"Maybe he went to the dorm," Neville reasoned.

"No... no, I know he isn't. He's in danger and my git of a brother won't come over here!"

"Ron!" Hermione gasped, scandalized. The boy was already on his feet, any worries about Hermione and her dislike of his cursing driven from his brain at the thought that his best friend might be walking the halls, only to bump into a Golurk that would reduce him to pudding. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to find Harry and warn him."

"Are you insane?" Hermione screeched, chasing after Ron and ignoring the stares she was getting as she hurried after him. "You can't go out there!"

"Harry is out there-"

"And you being dead won't help any," Hermione snapped.

Neville trotted over to them, Flora looking about in confusion. They moved to a quiet corner, the rest of the students all gathering around the front table as they listened in for updates on the battle. "Ron, Hermione, why don't we-"

"He'd go after you,." Ron snarled.

"...what?"

"If you were the one out there, with a Golurk rumbling about, I know Harry would rush to your rescue. He would risk anything if a friend was in trouble and I am not about to do anything less than the same for him. Come on Neville."

"Wait, what?" Neville squeaked. Ron grabbed his arm and dragged him away, the boy looking back at Hermione with wide eyes, wondering how he had found himself in this situation.

Hermione watched the two sneak out of the Great Hall and was suddenly of two minds: part of her, the part that followed the rules and respected authority with a passion, screamed to go to Nurse Joy or one of the prefects and let them know what Ron was doing. It was the right thing to do, the proper thing to do...

Then the part of her that had longed for friends and who realized that her desire to tattle would cost her Ron and Neville... and perhaps Harry as well... rose up and told her in no uncertain terms that she had been placed in Gryffindor for a reason and she better suck it up and stop worrying about what might happen in the future and focus on the here-and-now.

"Wait up!" Hermione hissed, glancing around one final time before she hurried to catch up with the boys.

~MC~MC~MC~

Harry slowly trudged back to the Gryffindor tower, rubbing his face with his arm. He'd tried to make it, he truly had. He'd sat next to Ron and forced himself to smile as his friend yammered away about the Tor City Tauros. But as more students had piled into the Great Hall and the noise level had grown, the boy had found it hard to breath. They were eating candy and laughing and enjoying things he himself had never gotten to enjoy in all of his 11 years in the world because his parents had been killed by a madman on this very night... and he didn't want to make a scene and ruin the fun for them.

So he'd made an excuse and darted out of the hall. He'd then spent the next half an hour wandering around, trying to collect himself and steady his nerves. But nothing he did worked and finally he was forced to admit that he simply wasn't going to be able to enjoy the party and he would better serve himself and his classmates by returning to his dorm and sleeping until Halloween was done and gone. He would just claim he had a stomach ache if pressed.

The first thing that hinted at things not being right was the steady booms that echoed down the hallway. The boy frowned, forehead furrowed and eyes squinting through his thick-rimmed glasses as he tried to figure out what was making the noise. The hall seemed darker than he remembered and the shadows had grown blacker and thicker. It was as if someone had suddenly thrown a thick blanket over the hall, blocking out all light.

The sound grew louder and Harry's steps became less frequent. Something was coming towards him, something big. The boy turned, heart thudding in his chest as he raced back the way he'd come-

"Harry!" Ron called out, turning a corner and nearly slamming into him. "Mate, where have you been? There are Golurks in the school! We need to get back to the Great Hall... they could be anywhere."

"I have a theory," Hermione whispered, a shaky hand lifting up to point behind Harry and Ron.

The two turned and felt their stomachs drop. Emerging from the shadows was a Golurk, towering over the first years. Its body was composed of cracking blue clay that was held together by thick copper bands. In spots where the gashes were deeper purplish-black smoke oozed out like miasma, filling the air around it with even more shadows. It turned its hollow, glowing eyes towards the students and they could hear the clicking of its limbs as it took another step forward.

"Go...lurk..." it moaned.

"...I vote on running," Neville said.

"Second," Hermione exclaimed, turning on her heels and darting away from the massive Pokémon. Ron and Harry joined their friends, their footfalls ringing in the empty hallway as the raced away from the massive Pokémon.

"LURK!"

"DOWN!" Ron shouted, yanking Harry by the arm and forcing him to belly up to the floor just as a Night Shade attack raced over their heads. The Shade blast struck an arcway 10 feet from them, sending it and part of the ceiling crashing down and blocking off their path.

"Go...lurk..." the Pokémon moaned once more.

"Any ideas?" Harry asked nervously, leaping to his feet and backing away from the Pokémon.

"We'll have to battle it," Ron said, taking out his pokéball. "Scabbers!" The rat Pokemon looked about, giving Ron a sour look, only to freeze up when it heard Golurk's bellow. "Scabbers, you can either fight it or let it kill us!" Ron shouted.

Gnashing his teeth together, Scabbers seemed to consider this option, only to let out a yelp when a dark orb fired from Golurk's hand and struck him in the chest.

"Scabbers?" Ron asked in confusion, seeing his Pokémon was ok. "How..."

"That was a Shadow Ball," Hermione stated. "Normal type Pokemon are immune to Ghost movies."

Ron grinned. "Alright! Scabbers, Bite!"

"Ron, wait!" Hermione shouted, but it was too late. Scabbers, deciding that it would be better to attack then to stand there and let himself be injured or worse, darted forward, his buck teeth gleaming as he leapt in the air to deliver his attack...

...only to be caught by the massive Pokémon and slammed into a wall.

"It is also a Ground type," Hermione said, watching as Scabbers fainted from the single blow. "That means it can still perform physical attacks."

"Now you tell me!" Ron complained, calling back Scabbers. "What do we do?"

Hermione shook her head. "Ralts is no good; she's a Psychic type and Golurk's Shadow Ball will knock her out in one hit!"

Harry nodded, pressing his back to the wall as Golurk slowly began to approach them once more. "Eevee might be able to do something but one hit like that and he will be down."

Neville looked down at Flora, stroking her head. "Flora should be able to hurt it; Grass types are strong against ground types. Still… I don't think she'd survive a punch like that."

"Well, whatever you can do do it now!" Ron shouted, half sitting on the rubble in his attempt to get further away from the approaching Golurk. It held up its hands again and began to charge up another Shadow Ball. "I'd rather try something than nothing."

Harry watched the Golurk as it powered up its attack, his brain racing with possibilities. "I have an idea! Neville, you focus on attack it! Hermione, send out Ralts."

"But she's weak against Ghost types!" Hermione reminded him.

"Trust me," Harry said with a smile, sending out Eevee. "Just have Ralts distract it, ok?"

Hermione chewed on her lip, not wanting to put her Pokémon in danger but realizing their options were sorely limited. She tossed out her ball, sending her partner out. "Alright. Ralts, Confusion!"

The little white and green Pokémon nodded, holding out her arms and sending out the psychic waves. The Golurk slowly turned towards her as it was hit, stumbling slightly before lifting its hand up and gathering dark energy for the Shadow Ball attack.

"Eevee, intercept!"

Eevee leapt in front of Ralts, his tail twitching as he pushed Hermione's Pokémon away. The Shadow Ball struck him and Eevee remained standing, looking to all as if nothing had happened.

"Perfect!" Harry said with a grin. "Neville, have Flora do quick attacks and then get out of the way! Hermione, have Ralts keep Golurk's attention on her. The Shadow Balls don't hurt Eevee since he is a normal type, so he can block for you both." The group fanned out, forming a half circle around Golurk. "Ron, keep an eye out and let us know if you see it doing anything funny."

"Right!" Ron shouted.

"Flora, Leech Seed!" Neville called out. The Bulbasaur nodded, firing off the little seedlings. They easily latched onto Golurk's clay body and dug their roots in deep, sucking out its life energy and sending it to Ralts, Eevee and Flora. "Now Wine Whip!"

"Ralts, Confusion!"

"Harry, to your right!"

"I see it, Ron! Eevee, intercept the Shadow Ball and fire off one of your own!"

The Golurk bellowed in frustration. Flora was chipping away at its life energy, weakening it with her attacks. Whenever the Golurk tried to focus in on the Bulbasaur, Ralts or Eevee would attack and force it to deal with them. Eevee was using its superior speed to intercept every Shadow Ball Golurk sent out, allowing the other two Pokémon to focus on attacking.

The ghostly golem raised its hands in frustration.

"GO..."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Everyone, move-"

"...LURK!"

The clay Pokémon slammed its fists down, causing the floor to buckle and tremble under the sheer force. Flora and Ralts cried out as they were hit, the earthquake knocking them out. Eevee struggled to stay on his feet, but he too finally gave in and fell to the ground with a sigh.

"Eevee!" Harry cried out, rushing forward and lifting up his Pokémon. "Eevee!"

"Go...lurk!" the golem said, raising its fist to strike the boy.

"Harry, run!" Ron screamed.

"Harry!" Neville and Hermione shouted.

Harry could only stand there, frozen, as the Golurk's fist prepared to strike him down…

"Poison Jab!"

Harry blinked in confusion as a long black and purple form slid around Golurk's body, forcing its limbs tight to its sides. The Pokémon was huge, nearly 9 feet long, with a sharp head and dark, cunning eyes. It's forked tongue shot out of its mouth and it let out a hiss as it drove its bladed tail into the Golurk's back.

"SEVIPER!" the Pokémon hissed as Prof. Snape hurried towards them, grabbing Hermione and easily carrying her away from the ghost Pokémon.

"Bisharp, use Night Slash!" McGonagall shouted as she darted forward, her hand grabbing Ron by the collar of his jacket and tugging him away. The children watched as their head of house's metal Pokémon raced forward, bringing its arm blades down on Golurk's forearm and causing the ghost Pokémon to bellow in pain. "Aerial Ace!" Using the strike to build momentum, Bisharp flipped into the air and dove back down, striking the Golurk in the head.

"Come on, Mr. Longbottom!" Prof. Sprout said, grabbing the boy who was still cradling his fainted Bulbasaur and hauling him away. "Vileplume, use Energy Ball!" The little blue Pokémon with a huge red flower on its head nodded, gathering its energy in the form of a glistening green orb that bounced on its petals. It focused and sent the attack out, Seviper leaping away as the attack struck, leaving Golurk wobbling, several of the metal bands that held it together breaking off.

Flitwick glared at the Golurk, angered that students had been threatened by it. "Bronzong, Flash Cannon!" A bell-like Pokémon appeared to Neville's right and began to glow before it unleashed a blast of white light at the stunned Golurk. The giant Pokémon waved its hand about, trying to regain its sight.

Harry found his view blocked by a strange Pokémon; its body was purple, with thin limbs and an overly large head. But what was most shocking was that when it turned to look at him to ensure he was alright instead of having eyes the Pokémon had a pair of diamonds in its sockets.

"Sableye, use Shadow Claw!" Dumbledore shouted, making his appearance. The strange Pokemon raced forward, its claws gleaming as it slashed the air. Dark energy appeared before it, hovering in front of Golurk before racing into it and sending the ground/ghost type slamming to the floor, out cold.

Harry panted, staring at the fallen form even as he heard Snape shouting at them for being so stupid and McGonagall demanded an explanation. Harry merely stared at them for a moment before promptly passing out.

* * *

Review Comments:

-Hydragion and the other almost legendaries are being saved for later on. I want them to be something special. I will only say that two Pokemon Characters will appear with the almosts, two Harry Potter Characters have almosts, and two characters mentioned in this chapter will have almosts (though i won't say if any of them overlap in those categories...)

-I am always opened to Pokemon suggestions. Obviously I can't be a fan of every Pokemon and every witch/wizard, so help is always welcomed.

-One of the things I want to do with this is... well, improve upon things Rowlings did. The fact that the traps were easy has already been addressed in my notes for these chapters and this story will have a better explaination.

-Yes, the ghost comment was an ode to Myrtle and the other ghosts. Since they won't be appearing in this story I wanted to do an homage to them.

-When I set this in the Pokemon World, technology instantly became important. It also helps solve the issue of just replacing spells with Pokemon.

-Yes, Eevee will evolve and I know the evolution. No, I won't tell you guys quite yet. If I had to wager, I'd say he will evolve in Book 4 latest, Book 2 earliest.


	13. The Gauntlet

"How are you feeling, kid?"

Harry looked up at Katie Bell and smiled, tugging on his sleeves. "Nervous."

"Good," the young woman said. "I'd be worried if you were cocky. Oliver might be a prat but he was right… this is going to be a war."

Harry nodded, turning back to the mirror and checking his jacket one more time. Prof. McGonagall had surprised him by purchasing a new trainer jacket for him to wear during Gauntlet matches. It was scarlet with gold trim and fit snug around him without cutting off circulation. He was wearing his normal jeans but had forgone his hat, not wanting to worry about it blowing off as during the game. He took off his glasses and picked up the prescription goggles his head of house had also given him. They would stay on better than his glasses and make sure no dirt or dust would get into his eyes. They wouldn't fly off either, thus preventing some underhanded player from attempting to use that as a way to earn an edge.

He'd been worried that after the incident with the Golurk that he wouldn't be able to play today's game. After fainting Prof. Dumbledore had transported him and his friends to the infirmary to be looked over by Nurse Joy. None of them had suffered anything worse than a cut or bruise and their Pokémon had lucked out by merely fainting. Still, it could have been much worse and when Harry had awoken he'd found a very angry Prof. McGonagall standing by his bed, demanding to know why he'd disobeyed the headmaster's orders.

He'd explained that he hadn't been in the Great Hall when the news had broken and his friends told their head of house that they had been afraid for Harry. The boy had been embarrassed and ashamed that his own feelings had nearly gotten his friends killed, so when McGonagall had given Ron, Hermione and Neville detention Harry had demanded he receive the same punishment. His friends had pleaded with McGonagall to let him go scot-free but Harry would be not denied and thus spent a week with his friends scrubbing the floors of the Great Hall... though thankfully it was Prof. McGonagall and NOT Mr. Filch who supervised these detentions.

Harry had waited till the end of that week before broaching the subject of The Gauntlet team and told her he understood if she didn't want him representing Gryffindor after the events of Halloween.

_"Mr. Potter," she told him, "that only showed me that you belong on our team." When Harry stared at her in confusion the Gryffindor Head of House smiled. "Ms. Granger told me your plan to defeat the Golurk. It was a good plan... yes, it failed, but no plan is foolproof and there is always the chance for failure in anything. You showed that you are able to think outside the box and that is something a good Runner needs. _

_"Furthermore... the way you stood by your friends showed loyalty. Lesser boys would have allowed their friends to be punished... and I wouldn't have blamed you. It was thoughtless of us all not to consider your feelings that night- yes, I know why you really ran off- and I would have done the same thing you did."_

_Harry nodded, satisfied with her answer and thrilled that he was still on the team. Something, however, still nagged at him. "Professor..."_

_"What is it, Mr. Potter?"_

_"How did the Golurks get in the castle?"_

_The look that crossed McGonagall's face was one Harry knew all too well; his Aunt Petunia had gotten the same look when someone asked her about Dudley and she knew he had been up to no good. It was as if her face were trying to hold back the truth that was bubbling to the surface and threatening to explode forth, revealing all to the world._

_"A prank, Mr. Potter. Do not worry, the culprits will be found out and punished."_

Harry had known that she was lying. The Ravenclaws and the Slytherins had been the ones most threatened by the Golurks, what with them roaming near their dorms, so that ruled them out. Harry had seen how Fred and George had reacted when he had returned to the dorms and knew that it wasn't the twins who had brought the Golurks in. The red-heads preferred pranks that would embarrass, not kill. That left the Hufflepuffs and even Harry knew that they would not stoop to such acts.

Thus, it was clear to him that someone else had let the Golurks in... and for purposes that were far from benign.

"Hey kid!" Wood called out. "You gonna look at your reflection all day or are you gonna get out on the field?"'

Harry nodded, adjusting his collar one last time before hurrying after the rest of his teammates.

It was game time.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Which frequency is it on again?" Hermione asked, fiddling with her dex.

"97.1," Ron stated, pulling the retractable earbuds from his dex and slipping them into his ears. Neville had done the same, though he had only one bud in as the other one was currently sitting next to Flora, who seemed to be debating whether she should listen to it or eat it.

Hermione keyed in the station number and watched as her dex's screen flashed before the image of a roaring Arcanine appeared. Putting in her own earbuds, she fiddled with the volume, knowing that as the game went on Lee would only get louder. Lee was stationed up in the Gryffindor booth, while the Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff commentators were settled in their own private announcing booths.

"Welcome Gryffindors to the start of the 1991 Gauntlet Season!" The students cheered, clapping their hands and waving red flags in the air as their team stepped onto the field. "Today's contest promises to be intense as our fighting Arcanines take on the sinister Slytherin Arboks." Ron began booing in earnest at that little tidbit. "Making things more interesting will be our team's Runner... starting in his first game, the boy-who-lived himself, Harry Potter!"

"Go Harry!" Hermione shouted, grinning and clapping her hands. She wasn't much into the Gauntlet, finding it took away from her studies, but one of her friends was down there and Hermione was going to cheer long and hard for him.

"Today's match will be taking place in the Thunder Caverns Course." Hermione looked down, studying the landscape. The field wasn't filled with sand as it had been months ago when Harry had first run the course; now the floor was blue sheetrock. Parts of it were smoothed to a near glass finish while others sections were rough and covered in cracks, stalagmites and dipping paths. The walls rose up 8 feet and formed open areas and branching hallways. There was cloth that was stretched tight over the top of the walls that the audience could see through but made it dark on the playing field. The only light sources were glowing yellow veins that ran through the blue rock.

"As you may well know," Lee said after a moment, "this course pays homage to the legend of Carter Daniels, who discovered the very first Thunderstone in Thunder Caverns here in the Avalon Region. Elemental Stones are one of our biggest export and if it were not for Daniels' discovery Avalon would not be the envy of all the world that it is today.

"The course features many different opportunities for Gauntlet Captain Oliver Wood and Angelina Johnson to knock points off their starting total. There are fifteen flags, each worth 10 points, scattered around for them to pick up. There are also twenty targets, worth 5 points, that can be shattered. Ten different Pokemon are wandering around, including an Electrabuzz worth 30 points if defeated, waiting for our Dashers.

"While we aren't concerned about our Dashers, Slytherin should with the many traps that are waiting for our Defenders to activate. Crumbling floors that lead to 7 foot deep pits, sliding doors that can be used to seal passageways, and bottlenecks that could lead to ambushes."

"This is going to be a tough course," Ron said, leaning on the edge of his seat. "Since they can't using flying Pokémon to monitor their progress they are going to have to find ways to keep track of which sections they been down."

Neville nodded. "With so many branching paths I think the Defenders are going to have a hard time of it."

"That's good though, right?" Hermione said. "That means Harry will have a better chance of making it to the safe zone."

"Maybe," Ron said, slightly nervous. "But Harry doesn't have as much experience as the Slytherin Runner. If he gets caught even once it will probably mean the end of the match."

Hermione opened her mouth to comment but Lee's next words silenced her. "The Runners are making their way towards the safe zone near the Ravenclaw side of the field." Hermione glanced over and saw a large open area with several glowing yellow rocks sticking fully out of the wall. "Built to resemble the exact same room Carter Daniels first chipped a Thunder Stone from the rock, our Runners will need to make it through the tunnels and open fighting zones if they hope to remove 100 points from their score." Up on the screen above the Slytherin bleachers a scoreboard appeared, revealing each team had 250 points to get rid of.

Ron, Hermione and Neville leaned forwards as the Gryffindor Gauntlet Team lined up at their entrance, their bodies tense and ready.

"And we begin in 3... 2... 1!"

~MC~MC~MC~

"You remember the plan, right kid?"

Harry nodded, Eevee riding on his shoulder. Oliver had drilled it into all their heads for the last week what the strategy was for this match until they could recite it word for word. He'd warned them that Slytherins liked to use a swarm and conquer strategy. Two of their Defenders would go after one of the Dashers and pin them down while the second pair would take on the Runner. Once they had them pinned down the pairs would split off again, going after the final Dasher. Once all three were pinned the extra Slytherin Defender would return to the Runner... and seek out a bit of 'aggressive play'; namely almost illegal tactics that would land the Runner in the infirmary.

To counter this, Oliver had decided to have him and Angelina stick together and surprise the Slytherin Defenders that came after them. George, Fred, and Alicia Spinnet would focus on setting as many traps as they could to make life difficult on the Slytherin Dashers and Runner.

Katie had been paired with Harry and been given strict orders to keep him safe.

"Last year Marcus Flint and his buddies took out Ravenclaw's Runner. Poor girl was out for the rest of the season. I want to win, but not at the cost of our season." Oliver had gotten in Harry's face, his nose touching the young boy's. "You stick with Katie, you hear me? She might look all sweet but she's a mean bitch when she has to be."

"Say that with a smile, Woods," Katie had teased, "or I'll break your kneecaps."

"All right kid, keep your eyes open," Katie called out, summoning her Rapidash. "We're approaching the first intersection."

Harry nodded, Eevee narrowing his eyes as Katie drew up to the edge of the intersection. She lifted her hand and stuck up two fingers. Rapidash nodded and fired off a Flamethrower through the passageway. When nothing shot out Katie motioned for Harry to follow her.

This occurred at the next two intersections and Harry was beginning to wish something would happen. His nerves were fried and he was beginning to get paranoid, glancing at every shadow as if it held his doom. He could tell Katie was confused as they made their way through another tunnel that slopped up slightly. The path was getting narrower as the ground next to the walls rose up to form shelves on either side of them over a foot tall. At the far end of the tunnel was a wide-mouthed entryway that led into a large open area.

The Defender glanced at Harry as Rapidash sent off another Flamethrower that drew no attacks. She glanced about as she made her way into the open area, looking for a well-covered path to take. "We are either really lucky, kid, or-"

Katie never got to finish, as blasts fired from all corners.

~MC~MC~MC~

"NO!" Ron screamed in horror, the rest of the Gryffindor section gasping. On the big screen they could see Katie twisting about, trying to avoid the different attacks that were being sent at her and her Rapidash. The Slytherins were cheering their heads off, pointing and laughing at the Gryffindor Defender as she nearly got clipped by a Twin-Needle attack.

"What... what happened?" Hermione exclaimed in shock. "They were doing so well..."

"A kill box," Ron moaned, sinking back down and holding his head in his hands. "They set up a bloody kill box."

Hermione shivered, not liking how liberally Ron was using the word 'kill'. "And... what is that?"

"It is the strategy that is going to cost us the match!" Ron wailed.

Hermione turned to Neville, who was watching the screen with wide eyes. Katie was doing her best to avoid the attacks; her Rapidash was favoring its left foreleg and the way it was stumbling about made it clear it had been poisoned. "What is a kill box?" she repeated.

"That big open area is the kill box. The Slytherins moved three of their Defenders and a Dasher to the upper corners of the area... see, right there in those tunnels." Hermione nodded; she didn't even need to look at the big screen to see that the attacks were coming from each corner of the 'kill box'. "They have the high ground and can signal to each other... anyone in there is a sitting duck."

Hermione gestured towards the scoreboard, which showed that Oliver and Angelina had already knocked 80 points off. "But we are in the lead... they've only achieved 3 goals and taken off 30 points."

Ron moaned. "It's all about their Runner." He gestured towards the left of the open area and Hermione could see another Slytherin Defender moving along with their Runner. "They are stopping Harry from getting to the safe zone. They'll focus their attacks on Katie and Harry and let their Runner get through with ease!" he shook his head in frustration. "And my idiot brothers and the rest of the team don't realize they've already-"

"LOOK!" Seamus called out. "It's Harry! He's through!"

"What?!" Ron shouted. "HOW?!"

~MC~MC~MC~

Harry felt a stab of guilt at abandoning Katie. Oliver had told her to protect him and what did he do when she first found herself pinned down? He used her as a distraction.

It had only been Eevee's yelp that had stopped Harry from entering with Katie. He'd smelled the other Pokemon and realized that the Slytherins were setting a trap. He'd thought for a moment about rushing in to help Katie, but seeing her being driven back by the multiple attacks had banished that notion from his head.

Instead, he had begun to use the side tunnels to slowly make his way up along the playing field. With the Slytherins so focused on Katie they hadn't noticed Harry slipping behind them and ducking into the next tunnel. They had been screaming their attacks so Harry had been able to activate the sliding door traps without them noticing. By the time the two Defenders Harry had scooted behind realized he wasn't with Katie they'd found themselves trapped in the open area, the tunnels now closed to them and forcing them to try and get the other two attacks' attention.

It was too late though. Harry was already dashing through the final third of the Gauntlet field, the kill box left behind. The dark-haired boy smiled as he ran forward, heading down another narrow tunnel with rocky shelves, curving along the path-

"Well, well, well." Marcus Flint grinned as he stepped out in front of Harry, flanked by his Graveler. "Looks like a little lost pup managed to get past our kill box."

Harry backed away, eyes wide with fright. Oliver had warned him about Flint; the Slytherin Captain was the most vicious on his team and delighted in injuring other players. To him the rulers weren't really rules but testing limits... as in testing how much he could do before he was punished.

"Graveler... let's welcome him properly. Rollout!"

"GRAVELER!" the rock Pokémon bellowed, tucking its body into a solid ball and rumbling down the tunnel. Harry's eyes widen and he turned tail, fleeing from the huge Pokémon.

Flint laughed as he hurried to keep up with the boy. He kept his eyes on the ground, waiting to see the Runner; he'd pulled this move several times in previous seasons and all the Runners reacted the same way. They would drop to the ground, the shelves along the tunnel creating a ditch for them to hide in as the Graveler rolled over them. The problem was that the moment the Graveler was past them Flint would take matters in his own hands, tackling the Runners and delivering a few choice punches before his Graveler would return and grip the Runner in its strong hands, holding them hostage. Last year, he'd forced the Hufflepuff Runner to watch as Flint's Runner leisurely strolled past and won them the match. Flint smirked, thinking about how much he would enjoy mocking the pampered Potter prince-

BOOM!

Flint frozen, his smile dropping as he came upon his Graveler. The Pokemon had slammed into a wall, unable to continue due to a slide door having been shut. The Slytherin captain felt his stomach plummet when he saw that Potter wasn't in the ditch... meaning he could only be in one place. Flint was brutal but not stupid and he knew that if his Graveler had hit Potter he was destined for a cell on Sevii Island. It was one thing to 'accidently' injure another player... but to kill them?

Graveler shifted aside and Flint panted, preparing himself for the blood splatter and broken body.

CLANG!

Flint whipped around, just managing to see Potter standing behind him before another slide door slammed shut, trapping the Slytherin Defender.

~MC~MC~MC~

"I don't believe it!" Lee shouted, the entire stadium rendered silent. "The judges are debating folks... they are trying to determine if Harry Potter broke the rules with that maneuver... but I will tell you, even if he did, that will go down as one of the most cunning moves ever perform at Hogwarts!"

Hermione, Ron and Neville could only stare in shock as the big screen replayed Harry's daring move. He'd been racing along the tunnel, the Graveler 10 feet behind him and the crowd had been screaming for him to dive down. But instead of taking a dive Harry had jumped onto the shelf, Eevee clinging to his chest as he leapt up and grabbed onto the cloth that hung over the arena. The students had seen the fabric pull slightly, Harry's fingers digging in as he braced his legs against the wall and pushed himself up. The Graveler and Flint had thundered past them, Harry dropping just as Flint moved down the final curve. Eevee had struck a panel, shutting the door while Harry, spotting one of the flags, knocked a few points off his team's score before rushing back down the tunnel, leaving a screaming Flint in his wake.

Harry was unaware of the debate going on in the judges' box. The professors were bickering and arguing with themselves, Snape clearly the most frustrated while McGonagall yelled right back. Finally Flitwick held up his hand and, after a few words, gave the ruling, overriding all the other commentators.

"The rules clearly state that a Pokémon or a trainer can not cut or damage the roof of the arena... it says nothing about clinging to it. By a ruling of 6 to 1 the move is legal and the match may continue!"

The Slytherins sank back in their seats, hissing in disgust while the Gryffindors cheered so loud it was a wonder the stadium didn't collapse.

"He's going to make it!" Hermione shouted, pointing to the tiny form of Harry as he raced through the last bit of the arena.

"The Slytherin Runner is too far behind... he'll never catch up!" Ron pumped his fist in the air. "And look at Snape!" The head of Slytherin had a Pokéball out, clearly frustrated. They couldn't hear what he was saying from the box but they knew it wasn't good. "Greasy git can't-"

"Guys!" Neville shouted, startling. "Look... something is wrong!"

~MC~MC~MC~

"Eevee!"

Harry looked down at his Pokémon and smiled. "Almost there... almost there!" He thundered through the final tunnel, the veins of yellow rock glowing brighter as he neared his destination. He could feel the energy crackling around him, the hairs on the back of his arms standing on end as he neared the final turn...

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Harry skidded to a stop, his hands slamming over his ears as the high-pitched whine filled the air. Eevee howled and burrowed into his chest, trying to find some way to escape the nightmarish sound. He took a step forward, opening his eyes a crack.

There, in front of him, was a Magnamite, its body surrounded by an electro-magnetic field. It was trembling in the air, letting off the ringing cry that made Harry feel like his head was about to explode.

And then, just as quickly as it had begun, the screech ended.

Harry blinked, his ears still ringing. Dimly, in the back of his mind, he tried to remember if this course had Magnamites. Oliver had run through all the possible courses and what Pokémon could be found there but Harry had been unable to keep up. Now, he fought through the headache the Magnamite had given him and tried to remember if it had been listed as a potential hazard.

BOOM! BOOM!

The tunnel trembled and Harry fell back as the Magnamite hurried away. Cracks appeared in the walls and Harry inched forward on his hands and knees, the arena shaking with each explosion. He could see the safezone up ahead and knew if he could just get to it the game would end and hopefully the sonic attacks and the rumbles would end.

BOOM!

He was 2 feet away from the safe zone when the wall to his right gave way. Harry turned, eyes widening as the Voltorbs rolled towards him, each one glowing white as they prepared to self destruct. Harry twisted so his body was shielding Eevee and lunged forward-

~MC~MC~MC~

"Harry!"

The judges' box had barely landed in front of the arena exit when Prof. Dumbeldore raced out, Prof. McGonagall hot on his heels. Snape, Flitwick, Sporut and Hooch were only a few steps behind, their hands going for their pokeballs as they forward. The arena had grown silent, the student staring at the smoke that billowed from the end of the arena. Part of the fabric roof had been torn away and they could all see the fainted forms of the Voltorbs. The explosion had rocked them all and even the Slytherins in the crowd were quiet, realizing that something had gone terribly wrong.

The Gryffindor Team was racing towards the end of the course, George and Fred supporting a weak Katie. She'd ended up catching a few poison barbs herself and the effects had left her barely able to take a step. For once completely serious, Fred and George had begun to drag her towards Poppy, only for Katie to demand they bring her to Harry. Even as she slipped in and out of consciousness she kept mumbling 'Have to keep him safe, have to keep him safe...'

"Harry!" Dumbledore called out, rushing to a pile of rubble/Voltorbs. He threw out his pokéball and as Slowking appeared he commanded the psychic Pokémon to begin moving the rock. McGonagall sent out her Bisharp while Snape's Seviper worked the growing crowd, forcing them back.

"Step back, you dunderheads!" he shouted as Ron, Hermione and Neville shoved their way to the head of the crowd. "Do you want to trample him?"

Dumbledore let out a cry when a large slab was pulled away and Harry was revealed to them. There was a nasty gash on the back of his head and his hands had been burned from the explosions. His clothing was torn but McGonagall couldn't care less; she'd buy the entire team jackets and make them top of the line.

"Harry my boy," Dumbledore whispered, kneeling in the dust and reaching out to stroke the boy's head. Eevee was still tucked under his body, having passed out from the attack though otherwise unharmed.

"Look!" Oliver shouted, pointing at Harry's hand. The entire crowd turned and looked at where Woods was pointing.

Harry's hand was firmly pressed against the safe zone.

Above them all, the scoreboard ticked down… Gryffindor had won.

* * *

Review Comments

-While I love suggestions for characters when it comes to Pokemon, I would like to mention that, for the most part, I want to avoid having two characters have the same Pokemon. So if you know Hermione has a Ralts, chances are no one else will have a Ralts or its line. Just something to keep in mind.

-Yes, harry's parents died on Halloween and yet Harry is never shown having a problem celebrating the holiday. That always rang false for me.

-Ron will not randomly get jealous just because the author needs Harry to have more problems.

-Some people wondered if my statement that Eevee will evolve means Harry won't become a pokemagnus. All I will say is it means EEVEE won't be his partner.


	14. Winter Solstice

Harry's second trip to the infirmary was a touch better than his first.

Opening his eyes, he was greeted to the sight of Hagrid trying to get his bulk into one of the small visitor chairs. The shaggy hair boy chuckled at Hagrid's grunts, only to let out a moan.

"Careful there, Mr. Potter," Poppy said, walking over to the child and checking his vitals. "You are a very lucky boy, you know that?"

"I don't feel lucky," Harry murmured, clutching his side. A soft cast was on his right arm, there were tight bandages wrapped around his chest and there was a splint on his left leg. Every time he breathed too hard it felt as if his lungs were being stabbed and his back ached but he couldn't shift at all.

"Well, you are," Poppy said, changing his IV. "You could have easily been killed."

"What do ya remember, 'arry?" Hagrid asked, leaning forward.

The boy scrunched up his brow. "I... I was racing towards the safe zone... a Magnamite was letting off this whine-"

"A whine or a screech?" Hagrid asked.

"A whine, definitely a whine."

"Well, that there explains it."

"Explains what?"

"The Voltorbs." Hagrid leaned back, the chair creaking as he did so. "That Magnamite must 'ave created an electromagnetic field. It drew in the Voltorbs and put enough electricity in the air to make'em blow."

"So... that wasn't normal?" Harry asked cautiously. It really didn't matter what Hagrid said, Harry was already mentally marking off 'Magnamite' and 'Voltorb' from his list of Pokémon he'd like to train one day.

"Bloody 'ell, 'arry, ya don't think we'd be that cruel, do ya?" Harry blushed and Hagrid shook his head. "Most likely it was nothin' more than a stray that wandered into the arena; looked almost like the real thing in there so I can't blame the little guy."

"You really think so, Hagrid?"

"Course, 'arry! What else could it be?"

The boy shrugged. "Well, after the Golurks got in I can't help but wonder if this weren't more than an accident."

"Bah!" Hagrid waved off that assertion. "I doubt anyone would be sendin' Pokémon in 'ere like that, 'arry! Not unless they were goin' after that ball Mr. Silph left with us-"

"Mr. Silph?"

"...you didn't hear that."

"Yes I did."

"Nope. No you didn't. Just 'earin' things, 'arry. The medicine is making you all lightheaded and makin' ya think I mentioned Mr. Silph's... there is no Mr. Silph."

"Just like there is no Tiny the Snorlax?"

"Right!" Hagrid said, a huge grin plastered on his face. He eased himself out of the chair and patted the boy on the shoulder, not noticing the way Harry grimaced as he did so. "Glad ya understand."

Harry watched Hagrid lumber off, wondering if, like his Aunt, the giant put something other than sugar in his tea.

~MC~MC~MC~

The news about Mr. Silph touched off a bit of a whirlwind for Harry and his friends. Harry, having already been caught twice in a break-in by Pokémon, wanted to learn what was so important that someone would try to rob a bank and send dangerous creatures into the school. Hermione, sniffing out a chance not only to do research but to do research with her friends, was instantly on board. Ron too was game to seek out the truth, admitting to the gang he a bit of a conspiracy buff (the fact that it kept Hermione focused on something other than getting to class early was never brought up by the red-head).

Neville had been the only holdout but even he eventually caved when he caught Flora joining Harry, Hermione and Ron in the library. One sight of his Pokémon helping get books down from the shelf and Neville had realized there was little point in fighting the inevitable.

Thus November turned to December and the children divided their attention between school, the Gauntlet, raising their Pokémon and researching Mr. Silph. Nothing major occurred during those weeks, which was a blessing (in that Harry did not have to visit the infirmary) and a curse (in that they did not have any new info on Mr. Silph).

Things would have probably kept along this track, if not for the fact that the \semester had come to an end and it was time for many of the students to return home for Winter Solstice.

"You two are really staying at the castle over break?" Hermione asked, adjusting her backpack for the third time. It was weighed down with all sorts of books and notes, the bushy-hair girl wanting to get a jump start on next semester's class work. She'd also bundled up all their findings about Nicholas Silph, hoping to discover more during the two week break.

Ron made a face. "Mum and dad are visiting my brother Charlie in Kanto."

"Why don't you want to go, though?" Neville asked, stroking Flora's head. "Now that the war is over it would be fun to see some of the sights."

"If they were going to Saffron City or Celadon, maybe. But Charlie works at the Charizard Valley. I mean, I get it; he puts in his dues and he gets his own dragon-type to raise. And his Charmander is pretty cool… but all that methane and the heat... sorry, but it is Winter Solstice, as in snow and cold. I'd rather stay here at the castle... and so would Harry!"

The bespectacled boy managed a grin as Ron placed an arm around his shoulder. The red-head could pretty it up all he wanted, but they all knew the real reason why Harry was staying at the castle: he had no place else to go. The moment he had chosen Hagrid over his Uncle and Aunt he had been effectively rendered an orphan. There was no home to go back to and no relatives to spend the holiday with. Of course, considering his relatives there wouldn't have been much of a holiday had he been welcomed back. At the castle he was at least guaranteed to get a good meal… and he didn't have to cook it or clean up afterwards.

"Well, try and keep up on the research," Hermione stated as she and Neville made their way towards the Hogwarts Express. Harry and Ron had followed them to the station to see them off; Neville's gran and Hermione's parents were waiting for them back in Galahard, along with the parents of all the other students who were returning home for the holidays. There were many smiling faces and bids of holiday cheer between those leaving and those staying that even the biting cold could not chase away the smiles on their faces.

Ron gave a half-hearted nod; though Harry made sure to flash his friends a thumbs-up to let them know that he would force Ron to keep his promise. Hermione and Neville gave them a quick wave before hurrying on the train, leaving the boys to stand on the platform as their classmates headed home for the holidays.

~MC~MC~MC~

The first few days of winter break took some getting used to. Harry had feared that staying at Hogwarts would mean extra lessons and chores. The professors who remained, to his surprise, worked hard to make the time enjoyable for those that would be celebrating the holidays within the ancient walls of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore had kicked things off by announcing that each day would see demonstrations by the professors of elements in their field. Prof. McGonagall used her time to showcase her pokemagnus skills and answer questions the students had about the rare talent. In the evening Hagrid had joined them for supper and wowed the kids with photos of some of the rare and 'beautiful' Pokémon he had seen. Harry didn't know if a Whiscash could be considered beautiful to anyone but Hagrid, but seeing one the size of a Wailord was definitely interesting.

The next day had found Prof. Flitwick and Prof. Sprout teaming up to give history lessons about Avalon. Ron had groaned at first, but as the teachers took turns telling legends of Avalon and explaining how myth related to modern day Pokémon and devices, even he had to admit that it was a rather fun day.

Tales of Merlin and the Founders filled Harry's mind and transported him to a time when Pokémon were new and foreign creatures that inspired awe and fear. Sprout spoke of the first ruler of Avalon, the legendary King Arthur, who along with his Ho-Oh brought the region into a time of prosperity and wealth. Tales of Sir Griflet, Galahad, and Mordred filled the air about the children and Harry longed for the day to continue on forever.

Ron and the other students had different thoughts. They gibbered on happily about the Solstice and were quite taken aback that Harry did not share their excitement.

"It's just another day," Harry told Ron two days before the big event as they ate in the Great Hall.

"Just another... blimey, Harry, are you trying to put one on me?" The red head laughed. "Just another day..." He waved off his friend and grabbed another helping of pudding. "Nice try, Harry."

The bespectacled boy had furrowed his brow at this but said nothing, wondering if he was missing something that the others knew about. December 25th was a rather dull day; Uncle Vernon would take the day off so he and Aunt Petunia could shower Dudley with gifts, but that was something between the three of them. His Aunt had assured him that the day was only for Dudley and Harry didn't receive a thing because he wasn't their son and only their children would get gifts on December 25th.

Thus, it was a confused boy who awoke at 6:30 am to find Ron, who was the farthest thing to a morning person as one could find, happily bouncing up and down beside his bed.

"Come on Harry!" Ron exclaimed, tugging on his arm and dragging him from his bed. "Come on, it's Winter Solstice."

Harry grabbed his glasses, blinking in confusion at his friend's exuberance. It reminded the shaggy-haired child of Hagrid's Snubbull when he found a new chew toy to play with.

Following after Ron, Harry marveled at just how quiet the common room was. Almost all the Gryffindors had left for the holiday, with only Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and a few older Gryffs to fill the tower. That morning Ron and Harry had the common room to themselves, as all save Fred and George had elected to wake up at a decent hour. The twins, for their part, had for once shown some restraint and decided to head down to the kitchens to get breakfast for everyone.

Harry only learned later that Fred and George had decided to pull a fast one on one of the Seventh Year Gryffs and were now desperately trying to make amends, lest the 6 foot 5 trainer with arms as thick a tree trunks make good on his promise to dangle them out a window and see how long his strength lasted.

"Come on Harry!" Ron said excitedly, taking a seat near the pine tree they'd decorated a few days ago. The twins had tried to explain why one would chop down a tree and bring it inside but Harry still thought it strange and wondered if this weren't a gag all the Gryffindors were in on. "I got our piles sorted!"

"What?" Harry said, lifting up his glasses to rub his eyes. "What piles?"

"Our presents!" Ron said in giddy delight.

"Our?" Harry repeated.

"Are you aright, mate?" Ron looked at him, concerned. "You aren't sick, are ya? That would be horrible, to be sick on Winter Solstice!"

Harry shook his head, wondering if he were still asleep and dreaming all of this. "I'm fine, Ron, just confused. What presents?"

Ron gestured towards a stack of gifts that sat near the ones he'd claimed as his own. There were more gifts under the tree, each labeled with the name of one of the Gryffindors that had stayed in the castle. "Your presents... you know, things that are wrapped up and are given to you?" Harry just stared at him. "Come on now, Harry, you're acting like... bloody hell!"

"Whoa!" Fred said, pushing a cart loaded down with pastries and other treats into the common room. George was right behind him with a cart set up for juice and coffee. Plusle and Minun, decked out in red caps with little white puff balls at the end, happily gibbered on as they trailed behind their trainers. "Watch the mouth there, Ronniekins! This is Winter Solstice!"

"Guys," Ron exclaimed, "these are the first presents Harry has ever gotten!"

The twins blinked, ready to crack a joke only to see the way Harry was shifting uneasily. The twins glanced at one another, silently communicating, before grabbing a plate and loading it up with cinnamon rolls, toast with jam, and a cup of juice. Fred hurried over and forced Harry to sit down while George passed him the plate and cup.

"Now then, what we have here is a rare opportunity, George."

"You said it Fred." George settled down next to Harry and wrapped an arm around the startled boy. "Harry, may I call you Harry? Harry... we now see that you have been quite deprived... or is it depraved?"

"We are depraved."

"Right. You have been quite deprived of the joys of Winter Solstice and we, the depraved ones, are going to take it upon ourselves-"

"And me!" Ron shouted.

"And Ronniekins, to teach you all about this wonderful holiday. First and foremost: gifts."

Fred nodded, taking up where his brother left off. "This is a present," Fred stated, picking up a box. "It is wrapped up nice and neatly and the person who got it for me, namely my mum, spent a lot of time wrapping it. We honor this hard work by ripping the packaging to shreds as fast as we can."

Fred did just this, tearing off the paper like a Poochyena attacking a bag of chips. Harry batted a crumpled bit of paper away as Fred lifted the lid on the box and pulled out a bright red sweater with the letter F on the left breast.

"Now," George said, sounding to Harry as if he were a narrator on a National Geographic program, "some slobs and ungrateful wretches would have you believe that this is all you must do and you can move onto the next present. We cultured, dignified-"

"UUUUUUUURRRRRP!" Fred belched, banging his fist against his chest.

"-and noble Weasleys know that getting a present is only half the story. You must make sure you record who gave you the gift so you can thank them properly."

"We have our little friends here keep track for us," George said, motioning to Minum who was scribbling on a piece of paper. The electric Pokémon grinned and flipped the paper around so Harry and Ron could see that he had drawn a picture of the two of them kissing. "...or sometimes we just write the lists ourselves."

"Go ahead, Harry, give it a try!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry nodded and took the present George passed to him. He had wanted to savor the moment of his first present but seeing the looks of delight on his friends' faces he settled for following the twins' advice and tearing the wrapping paper off. Tossing the lid aside, he couldn't help but grin as he found a sweater much like the one the rest of the Weasleys had gotten, only his featured an H on the left breast.

"Mum always makes us a new sweater," Ron said, slipping his on. "Family tradition."

Harry forced himself not to tear up, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of the twins. This was not only his first present but the first time someone had made it clear they thought of him has family. That alone was worth more than all the gifts in the world and everything that lay piled up before him was the frosting on the proverbial cake.

The four boys quickly began to tear into their packages, laughing and showing off their gifts. Harry had less than the others but didn't mind in the slightest; he was just thrilled to be a part of this gift-getting morning. He did receive some boxes of candy from the Gauntlet team, a new set of goggles to replace the ones destroyed by the Voltorbs, a brush for Eevee from Neville and a book on evolution stones from Hermione. Hagrid had sent him a small flute (luckily not a Pokeflute, as the memory of the Snorlax still haunted him) and a tin of cookies.

The twins and Ron assured the boy that they would clue everyone else in on why Harry hadn't got them any presents; Ron sheepishly admitted he also had forgotten several people, including Harry himself, but equated it to the fact that it didn't feel right to buy gifts from the school store. Fred and George, having promised to swear off pranks for this one day only, suggested they check out some websites in the afternoon and order a few 'welcome back' gifts to make up for any hurt feelings.

Ron was busy fiddling with an app card that would let his Dex get the Tor Town Tauros Official Radio Station when Harry noticed a small package buried in the shredded paper. Pulling it out, he was surprised to find his name on the box, though without a giver listed.

"What do you have there, Harry?" George asked, loading the foam dart gun Fred had given him and handing it to Minun, who giggled and took aim at Plusle.

"Don't know... I guess it's another gift."

"PLUSLE!"

"Nice shot!" Fred stated. He looked at the gift, considering it. "Either that or it's a deadly trap that will destroy us all." When the others stared at Fred he shrugged. "If we didn't swear off pranks today it would be something I'd do."

"Open it Harry!" Ron said excitedly.

Harry tore the package open, only to freeze as he stared at the prize nestled inside the box.

"Whoa," George said, leaning over Harry's shoulder. "Now that's something you don't see every day."

Harry, with trembling fingers, reached into the small box and removed a perfectly crafted ShadowFlame ball.

"Harry... isn't that..." Ran began.

"My mum made these," Harry whispered, running his fingers reverently along the smooth surface of the ball. On the top of the ball, in gold etching, the word 'Ludwig' was written in loopy cursive.

Ron spotted a slip of paper still in the box and snatched it up. "Hey, there's a note." Ron scanned the text, surprised by the contents. "'To Harry: to fulfill a promise to the best woman I ever knew.""

He ran his finger along writing, only to let out a yelp when the ball shock slightly and cracked open.

The four boys leaned back as a small Pokémon appeared before them, blinking his yellow eyes. His body resembled that of a candle, little waxy arms held out in glee when he saw Harry. The Pokémon levitated into the air, floating over to the dark-haired by and grasping his fingers with his tiny hands.

"Litwick!" the Pokémon declared as his wick burst into a small bluish-purple flame.

"A Litwick..." George murmured. "That... that..."

"That is the Pokémon Lily Potter used," Fred finished.

Harry had tears in his eyes as he gazed upon the Pokémon. It might not have been the one his mother used but it was the same type and that is all that mattered. He could feel the connection to the little ghost, the flame warming his skin. Harry reached out his left hand and ran it along Litwick's side, smiling as the candle Pokémon cooed.

Then they both disappeared.

"Harry!" Ron, Fred and George exclaimed.

"What?" Harry's voice said in confusion. The next moment he and Litwick were back, the two staring at the Weasleys.

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed. "It has the invisibility ability!"

"No way!" Fred practically shouted. "The only known Litwick to have that ability was Lily Potter's!"

"Yours must be its son," George said, practically salivating at the thought of the pranks they could pull with a Pokémon that made you invisible.

Harry didn't hear a word of this, as he was too busy hugging Litwick close, trembling as he connected with something directly linked to his long-lost mother.

* * *

Author's Notes: And introducing Ludwig the Litwick!

Yup, I decided very early on that Harry would be getting Pokemon that were connected to important people in his life (both good and bad). His Eevee is the son of Voldemort's Eevee and now he has Ludwig, the son of Lily Potter's Chandelure. Creating a new ability (Invisibility) allows me to do the Invisibility Cloak but in a new, different way.

I went with something from Harry's mom first because in the books he gets enough from his dad. He got the cloak, the map, his patronus is based on his dad's Prongs-form... but almost nothing from Lily. Ludwig corrects this.

It is only mentioned in passing here, but Charlie and the Charizard Valley (god, that sounds like a Willy Wonka ripoff) deal with how starters and some rarer pokemon are raised. Families set up special farms where they are able to raise up rare pokemon. Some are sold while others are given to family members/friends. I will confirm right here and now some families that raise Pokemon this way: The Potters (Cyndaquil), the Malfoys (Snivy), Weasleys (Ratatta), Greengrasses (Vanillish), the Blacks (not revealed) and Kenways (not revealed). Families like the Parkensons buy rare pokemon but don't raise them.

As always, please please please review. I love reading and responding to reviews, giving out hints and talking out suggestions/ideas.


	15. The Mirror of Jirachi

"Shhh," Harry hissed, holding up his hand.

"What?" Ron whispered.

"Just because we can't be seen doesn't mean they can't hear us."

Hogwarts was silent. Every student was supposed to be in bed, a strict curfew reinstated to ensure that the children were back on normal sleep patterns. During the holiday the professors had allowed a bit more wiggle room when it came to bedtimes but with the rest of the students returning with the next three days curfews had once more become the norm.

Of course, there were some that bucked against such restrictions. Fred and George had spent most of their morning creating dummies of themselves that they had planned to leave in their beds, so they could go out and prepare some surprises for their returning classmates. The kitchen Pokémon had thwarted this, discovering the dummies and, in a panic, thought them to be the real Fred and George. Their wails as they attempted to perform CPR on the dummies had alerted McGonagall and thus the twins had found themselves with a honor guard of jigglypuffs who happily sang to them until they could do nothing else but fall asleep.

A Ravenclaw couple had also tried their hand at breaking curfew; they had been in the middle of a rather heated... well, they claimed it was a Pokémon battle that had gotten out of hand. Prof. Flitwick had merely smiled, asked them to put their pants back on, and informed them that they would have to do a 3 page report on this new type of battling.

Harry and Ron had been more than willing to follow the curfew. The memories of Tiny and Mrs. Norris were still fresh in their heads. However, just hours ago when they had tried to do some research on Nicholas Silph they had found that Hogwarts' computer systems automatically blocked any attempts to do a search on the man.

Their curiosity piqued, the two had decided to take a risk and sneak out of the dorm and go to the teacher's lounge, hoping that their computer would give them access to the information they sought.

Harry and Ron were at that moment holding onto Ludwig, Harry's Litwick, and letting it cast its invisibility aura around the two of them. They had been able to sneak past Prof. Sprout who had been leaving the kitchen after getting a small snack, and were now attempting to get past Filth. The problem was that Ron kept forgetting that the invisibility aura did nothing to prevent people from hearing them and thus caution was needed. Harry had been forced to drag his friend back several times, lest Ron's loud footfalls alert Filch to their presence.

"Ok, kneel down with me," Harry whispered, spotting Filch and Mrs. Norris 20 feet ahead of them. Ron mimicked Harry's movements, Ludwig hovering closer to the ground as Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out some of the Purrugly's favorite catnip. "I have to toss this just right."

"Pretend it is a Pokéball," Ron offered.

Harry nodded, getting a good grip on the bag and swinging his arm back and forth. After the fourth pass he let the catnip fly, the baggie tumbling through the air before landing near a classroom door 10 feet away.

"Purrr?" Mrs. Norris leapt down from her spot in Filch's arms and slowly began to stalk down the hallway, murmuring to herself.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Filch cooed (a sound that made Harry and Ron's teeth hurt due to the sheer wrongness of it) as he followed after his partner. "What do you smell?"

Ron made to rush forward but Harry stopped him, gripping his shoulder hard and forcing his friend to adopt a more cautious gait. The two of them made a wide circle around Filch, who was watching in confusion as Mrs. Norris rolled on her back and purred in delight, before ducking into the teacher's lounge.

"Alright," Ron said once they were far enough inside that Filch would be unable to hear them, "now what?"

"Now we see if there is anything about Nicholas Silph on this computer." Harry booted up the terminal, Ludwig floating above them, happy to provide some light. Harry quickly went to the ClickO search engine and using only one finger on each hand, began to slowly type. "Nicholas... Silph..."

Ron pushed him aside. "Let me!" His fingers rapidly danced along the keys as he typed in the different commands. "We will be here forever if you keep typing with only your index fingers."

Harry shrugged. "Sorry, but the only computer at my house was usually covered in what I hope was jam."

Ron shuddered then turned his attention back onto the screen. "Let's see... ok, biography."

Harry frowned. "I don't think Hermione would be happy with us using Bulbapedia as a research source."

"Why not? This site is great!" Ron began to scroll through the article. "Ok, Nicholas Silph... born in Pewter City, Kanto... went to Daggertooth Academy... graduated with high honors… head of Silph Co..."

"Anything recent? Like a reason why he would be in Avalon?"

Ron frowned. "I don't... wait, here we go!" He brought up a section of friends, family, and acquaintances. "Nicholas Silph every year chooses one trainer from a different region to come to Kanto and show them the inner workings of Silph Co. The first man selected... whoa."

"What?" HArry asked.

"... the first man he selected was Albus Dumbledore."

"The headmaster?!" Harry exclaimed, leaning over and staring at a picture of young man with dark hair a stubby mustache shaking hands with a younger Prof. Dumbledore in front of the Silph Co. sign.

"Yeah... apparently they stayed in touch and the headmaster even helped some Hogwarts graduates get jobs at Silph Co." Ron chewed on the inside of his cheek. "I guess he was just visiting."

"I don't think so," Harry said, pointing to a section right above the one about Dumbledore and Silph. "Listen... _'On the night of August 19__th__, 1987, during the first month of The Johto Revolution, Nicholas Silph drove a moving van to the Silph Co. tower. While it is unknown what he took, the next morning Silph left Kanto. He fled to Avalon, where he told reporters that he had abandoned Kanto do to his fear that the Sons of Johto would be targeting him.'_."

"Why would they target a businessman?" Ron asked. "The Sons of Johto were revolutionists, sure, but they targeted government officials and gym leaders. They never once went after a company."

"They'd target him if he had something important... something powerful," Harry reasoned.

"Something they might be keeping..." Ron gulped, "here?"

Harry nodded. "And if he was afraid of the Sons of Johto getting it, that must mean it is powerful. Powerful enough to end a war."

"What could-"

Ron never finished, as Ludwig zipped down and pressed himself against the two boys. There was a flash of light as his invisibility glow covered them... just as Professors Snape and McGonagall entered.

~MC~MC~MC~

Severus Snape was not a happy man.

Of course, many that knew him would have seen the humor in such a statement. Snape was never one to outwardly show any emotion other than distain and disinterest. If he did feel any of the other, 'lesser emotions' (such as happiness or contentment or joy), he never revealed them to those around him and instead saved them for his own private moments. He was a Slytherin, after all… and the only tears Arboks cried were made of poison.

Still, for a man known for being of ill temperament, at the moment he was breaking all his previous records for snarling outrage.

"I am going to wring Hagrid's neck!"

McGonagall shook her head. She wanted to offer him help getting to a chair but knew that the Potion Master's stubborn pride would not allow him to be led like an invalid. Instead, she was forced to trail behind him, watching as he hobbled over to a rolling desk chair and sat down with a huff.

"Now now, it isn't Hagrid's fault."

Snape's glare could have frozen a volcano. "He is the one that put that blasted Snorlax in front of the trap door!"

"And because you didn't handle it correctly you were injured."

"I handled it perfectly fine," Snape snarled. "The damn thing is just suppose to scare people, not actually injure them!"

"If you had gone through the trap door instead of brazenly marching through the main door we could have completed what we needed to do." McGonagall lifted up Snape's torn pant leg and examined his knee. "I don't think it's broken... you are sure you don't want to go see Poppy?"

"You know I can't. I'll have to explain, she'll be unable to shut her mouth, and then things will go to hell." Snape rose up, testing his leg. "I'll brew something tonight and be fine tomorrow... no need to worry our 'glorious leader'."

McGonagall opened her mouth to reply, only to pause when she noticed the computer to her right, a bio page displayed on the screen. "Severus..."

The door behind them swung slightly and they could make out the sounds of footfalls racing down the hall.

"Well... so much for keeping things secret," McGonagall muttered.

~MC~MC~MC~

Harry and Ron didn't stop running until they were sure they were alone. The two were panting, hearts thudding in their chests, and even without the tale-tell sounds of footfalls behind them they didn't feel safe. Every corner offered the threat of a pouncing Snape; every shadow hid McGonagall, ready to strike.

"Snape... and McGonagall?" Ron gasped, sucking in large mouthfuls of air.

Harry shook his head. "We must be missing something here." He seriously hoped they were, as the other conclusion (that Snape and McGonagall were working together to try and steal whatever Prof. Dumbledore had hidden for Nicholas Silph) left him feeling as if his stomach contents had frozen over. "Come on," Harry said, pulling Ron into a room to their left. He still didn't feel safe and would prefer to not be out in the open. Ludwig floated behind them, confused by their sudden panic but chalking it up to humans being humans.

All thoughts of Snape and McGonagall fled from the boys' minds as they stared at the room before them with slack-jawed awe. There were no desks or chairs or any other signs that this had been a classroom. Instead, Harry and Ron found themselves surrounded by silk curtains the color of a twilight sky, stretching up and up as though there was no end of them. The floor was a polished black marble that revealed distorted reflections of the boys as they walked deeper into the room.

There was only one object in the space but it to was strange and wonderful and eye-catching. There stood before the boys a long mirror, framed in gold. The surface of the mirror seemed to ripple as they approached and Harry got the impression that he was looking down at a still pool of water. Upon the top of the mirror's frame there was carved the image of a sleeping Pokémon. Though it appeared small there was a sense of power within the creature's image and Harry half expected the carving's eyes to open and capture him in its stare.

"What is that?" Harry whispered, walking towards the mirror.

"I... I don't know," Ron said, joining his friend. The two boys stared at the strange mirror, captivated by its beauty and the power it seemed to project.

"It is the Mirror of Jirachi."

The boys whipped around, Ludwig taking up a defensive position in front of his trainer and his friend, the blue flame on his head burning blood red.

Prof. Dumbledore held up his hands, showing that he meant them no harm. The fact that it was the boys that had snuck into a place they shouldn't have (and thus should have been the ones scared) wasn't mentioned by the bearded headmaster. Instead he walked towards them, eyes twinkling as he looked at each of them.

"Have you ever heard the Legend of Jirachi?" Harry and Ron shook their heads and Dumbledore smiled, clearly enjoying the fact that he got to tell them a story; he did so love stories. "Jirachi is said to be the wish Pokémon. Immortal, like all of the legendaries, Jirachi sleeps for a thousand years within a sacred pond known as the Pool of Dreams." The boys were captivated by the story, leaning forward as if they thought it would let them hear more sooner. "When Jirachi awakes it gives the world one week and not a day more to visit it. Do you know what it does when a trainer sees it?" Harry and Ron shook their heads. "It grants wishes."

The boys glanced at each other, never once wondering if Dumbledore was pulling their legs. There was something about how the old man spoke, with such conviction and purpose, that made the boys certain that he was telling the truth.

"Any wish, be it for good or for evil, is granted. Regions have risen and fallen by the desires of those that found Jirachi. Pokemon that we now know quite well only came into existence because they were wished for by a trainer seeking the perfect partner."

"Blimey," Ron whispered.

"Professor, if Jirachi can do all this, the this mirror..."

Dumbledore chuckled at the question Harry was unable to ask. "No, my boy, the Mirror of Jirachi cannot grant wishes." The old man tugged on his beard, considering his next words carefully. "300 years ago, when Jirachi last awoke, only one man made it to the wish Pokémon's cavern. When Jirachi arose from the Pool of Dreams, this trainer did something quite unexpected.

"_'What good is power if it has not been earned? What value is there in wealth that is not gained through one's own strength? Why would I want these things?' _These are the words the man spoke and Jirachi was confused. It had granted so many wishes, both selfish and noble, that it found this man's questions strange. _'And what use is a wish that can only be used once? Why should I believe that I know what I need and desire now? When I was 10 years younger I thought I understood my place in the world and I was wrong. What if I am wrong again?'_

"What the man sought was something better than a hurried wish granted. _'Jirachi, I wish for a mirror, one that will show those that speak to it the path they must take to achieve their dream.'_. Jirachi was pleased with this wish, for it too saw the benefit in such a mirror, and thus created..." Dumbledore trailed off, patting the mirror's frame as if it were a long lost friend.

Ron swallowed. "So... I could ask it anything... and it would show me how to get it?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said.

"Can... can we try it?" Harry asked. He immediately blushed. "I know we broke in here and we are sorry and don't deserve to try it-"

Dumbledore laughed. "Harry, my boy, it would be quite cruel of me to deny you a chance to commune with the mirror after that tale." The headmaster's smile fell and he placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "But I give you this warning: choose your question wisely." He glanced at the mirror and his body was suddenly filled with trepidation. "I have seen good men and women go mad from the sights the mirror showed them."

"What?" Ron exclaimed, eyeing the mirror with a touch of fear. "Why would-"

"Imagine if you asked how you might get a Litwick like young Harry's here," Dumbledore said softly, his voice tinted with mourning. "The mirror might show you where to go to catch one... or it might show you killing Harry and taking Litwick as your own."

"I... I would never do that!" Ron shouted.

"Yes... but the mirror does not care about what you may or may not do. It only shows how to achieve your wish... and be it for good or for bad the sight of what you could do is a powerful image."

Ron swallowed, eyeing the mirror carefully. He had been brimming with questions. He wanted to know how he could become coach of the Tor Town Tauros, how he could become a millionaire, and how he could take down Malfoy once and for all. But all of these questions died on the tip of his tongue as he considered just what the mirror might show him. What if his dreams took 100 years to achieve and 90 of those he was miserable? Or what if they cost him his friends and his family?

"You see the power and the danger of the mirror?" Dumbledore asked. "To see the path you could take... some were left ranting and raving when they saw that their dreams were impossible. Others led poor lives, unwilling to do what the mirror showed and left only with 'what might have been' to keep them warm at night. You must think carefully... and..." Dumbledore smiled. "You must think small."

"Small?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore stood before the mirror. "How could I get some lemon drops for Harry, Ron and myself?"

The mirror's surface shimmered and the boys watched as Dumbledore's reflection quietly turned to the left as a Clafairy appeared, happy to give them the treat.

The headmaster grinned and did just this, snapping his fingers as a Clafairy appeared, handing them the bag of sweets.

"Small," Dumbledore said, popping a treat into his mouth.

Ron nodded and after accepting a drop from the Headmaster stepped forward. "Ok, I have one." He cleared his throat and took a spot in front of the mirror. "It would be useless to ask how to get Scabbers to obey me... I know it will take time and effort. But... how can I get a Pokémon that will listen to me right away?"

The mirror's surface rippled once more and they watched as it reflected the image of Ron in a dark, icy cave. He was dressed in his heavy jacket and pants and had on thick winter boots and a red cap with ear flaps. More startling was the fact that Mirror Ron was walking with Draco. Mirror Ron looked about and suddenly seized up, eyes wide in shock as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. After a moment they heard a click signaling he'd caught the Pokémon.

"Ugh!" Ron exclaimed in disgust. "I see what you mean about this mirror showing you bad things!" When Harry glanced at him in confusion Ron waved his hand at the image. "Come on... me and Draco? No Pokémon is worth hanging out with that-" He paused, remembering that Professor Dumbledore was there. "-person who I have had disagreements with."

"Yes, I am sure," Dumbledore said with a chuckle. "Still, young Ronald, perhaps fate will alter events to bring about these scenes... alter them in such a way that they occur without actually occurring."

"Uh...huh." Ron scratched his head. "So Harry, you want a go?"

Haryr shifted uneasily. "Yeah... but... well..."

Dumbledore took pity on the boy. "Mr. Weasley, I think Harry would be more comfortable asking his question in private." He pulled out a pad of paper and quickly scribbled a note on the top sheet. "This will excuse you from any dentations Mr. Filch would give you for being out past curfew. Show it to him and he will let you pass without comment. I will escort Mr. Potter back." Ron nodded, accepting the note with a smile and hurrying out of the room. "Now then... ask away, Harry."

The boy shifted. "Headmaster... I don't want to ask the mirror a question." He looked up at the old man, trepidation clear in his eyes. "But... but I do want to ask you a question." When Dumbledore nodded, Harry took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the question he was desperate to get answered… one he had wanted answered for years. "Sir... everyone spends so much time talking about my parents. About how wonderful they were and how much Avalon owes them. And... and everyone admits that they did what they did for me. My mother and father died trying to protect me. They would have run or hid if it weren't for me... I'm alive because of them." Harry blinked back tears. "Professor, if all of that is true... then... then how could you all..."

"Why did we leave you with the Dursleys?" Dumbledore asked sadly. Harry nodded, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Harry... we did not leave you with them." The boy looked up, a flash of anger that reminded Albus of James Potter appearing in the boy's features, and he hurried to explain lest he be dealing with a temper tantrum. "You were taken from us, Harry."

"I... what?"

Dumbledore closed his eyes, the memory a burden upon his ancient frame. "Harry, you parents went to Little Surrey because they thought they could escape Voldemort and Team Nocture's grasp. They knew of it only because... well, because your mother was from there." Harry's eyes widened at this but before he could ask any questions Dumbledore continued. "Unlike you, Harry, your mother knew about Pokémon growing up. Your grandparents had moved their family to Little Surrey after the events of the first war... but that is a story for another time.

"Your mother, while she lived in Avalon, married a man from here, and was for all intents and purposes a citizen of Avalon... was still considered by Little Surrey as one of them. That is why she, your father, and you were allowed to come to the island when all of you went into hiding. And... and when they died... the law of Little Surrey reared its cruel head."

Harry was taken aback by the raw sadness that suddenly filled the headmaster's form. His shoulders slumped and though no tears shone in his eyes there was a loss of the glimmer and twinkle that all the students of Hogwarts had come to know. He all at once looked his full age and Harry worried that the headmaster might suddenly shatter in front of him like an ice sculpture struck by a tremendous blow.

"We all fought so hard, Harry. So many of us fought to have you returned to Avalon. We petitioned and argued and in the end I even begged, using what power I have to try and convince them to honor your parents' will. Yes, Harry, your parents had a will and it said in no uncertain terms that you were NEVER to go to the Dursleys. But with you being on Little Surrey the laws of Avalon meant little to them... and your Aunt Petunia was awarded custody."

Harry wrapped his arms around himself. To know that people had been fighting for him... had WANTED him... it was a balm for his battered little soul.

"I think, in the beginning, they did want to love you, my boy. Your aunt is a harsh woman but she isn't cruel. The same for Vernon... they would not have fought so hard for you if they didn't want you at first. I think, at first, they hoped to raise you right… or right from their point of view."

Harry considered this. All his life his aunt and uncle had been hard on him, pushing him and punishing him when he failed to live up to their standards. And yet, when he considered his entire life, he realized that the beginning had not been like the end; Uncle Vernon had not struck him or locked him in the cupboard when he was two or three. That had only started later, when he was nine. Of course this didn't mean that young Harry was going to rush back to his aunt and uncle and beg to come home... but it did give him something to consider.

The headmaster sadly shook his head, thinking of the Dursleys and how he would mark their obtaining Harry as one of his greatest failures. "I cannot begin to understand why they treated you as they did... I know that your Aunt Petunia blamed Avalon for seducing your mother away and you looking like your father, the man that kept her here... I can only guess that was the reason their feelings towards you changed. I know you were already treated with a heavy hand but…" Dumbledore sighed, not wanting to even think about all the boy had gone through. "It didn't help matters that you acted just as your mother did... and still do."

"Sir?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore looked down at the boy and managed a smile. "You may resemble your father, Harry, but it your mother's spirit that most matches your own." Ludwig, bored from all the talking, floated over their heads, creating little balls of fire and throwing them out to try and catch. The flickering lights this game produced seemed to give the room an otherworldly quality. "Your mother was always drawn to Pokémon. They say there are some trainers that can commune with them, that look upon them and do not see them as pets or partners but brothers and sisters. In the land of Johto they call it The Bond… to silently commune with Pokémon. Your mother, I believe, possessed this ability." At Harry's confused look Dumbledore chuckled. "I cannot prove it, but I believe your friend Mr. Longbottom is such a trainer.

"When your mother was eleven she ran away from home. She received passage on a trade ship and the captain and his son helped her receive asylum here. Little Surrey actually used your mother leaving as an excuse to keep you there... we had allowed one of their children to escape and thus they would keep one of ours." Dumbledore rolled his shoulders and patted Harry on the back. "But we have talked enough for tonight. Let us get you to bed."

"Sir... now that I am here..."

"The Dursleys will never lay their eyes upon you again, if that is what you wish," Dumbledore told him, guiding him away from the mirror. Though the Headmaster said it with a light tone, there was a steel in his voice that made Harry stand a bit taller. "As I said, there were many that wished to take you in. I am right now working on finding you a good home, Harry... one that will be filled with love."

A family. Harry had longed for one. Yes, the Dursleys were his relatives, but even at a young age the bespectacled boy had understood that they were not a family; merely people that let him live in their house. Prof. Dumbledore spoke of him getting a family of his own and Harry wondered if this could really happen... could he end up with a family?

Glancing back one last time at the Mirror of Jirachi, Harry was surprised to see within its surface a new image. There he stood, a bit older but with the same wild, untamable hair and dark-framed glasses. Ron, Hermione, and Neville stood beside him, just as they had during his conversation with Slowking during the sorting. What was different, though, were the other figures that stood behind him, cloaked in shadows so it was near impossible to see them.

Two younger girls, their faces hidden yet framed with hair that for one was the color of a brilliant fire and the other white gold. Two men that he could tell were the best of friends, each placing a hand upon his shoulder. Next to them was a man in a long brown coat, a hood pulled over his head, hiding his face. This one also had a hand on someone's shoulder, but instead of it being Harry the one the cloaked man supported was a beautiful blonde teen, her face a mixture of innocence and strength. It was only as he turned away that Harry realized his reflection was holding the girl's hand.

And in front of them all were all different manner of Pokémon. Some were quite easily to identify: Flora and Ralts, though now they were both fully evolved. Two Pokémon, one of ice and one of fire, stood next to Ron. Harry could see the ghostly shape of his Eevee's evolved form; though what it was he could not say. Ludwig was evolved too, a mighty Chandelure that hung over the boy. There were many more, of course... he could see their eyes glowing in the darkness that surrounded the image, watching him. Waiting for him. And beyond them more people, many, many more, moving to join the group-

"Come along, Harry," Prof. Dumbledore said, turning him away from the mirror and leading him to his dorm.

That night, his dreams would be filled with phantoms... and yet Harry would feel no fear.

* * *

Author's Notes: Before we begin with the review comments, a couple notes:

-I hope people don't mind too much the world building I am attempting with this story. I know right now I am focusing a lot on Johto, but that is mainly because it was the first region whose backstory I really developed after Avalons. Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Kanto and the new one (I forget the name) will get their own time to shine. Aldair will be mentioned soon and I have plans for Sinnoh and Hoenn coming up.

The Sons of Johto keep getting mentioned because they play a role in Book 4. Without giving too much away, the Sons and Jack Kenway will offer Harry a chance to see both what he could become and what Voldemort might be like. The Sons function in a world of gray and will give Harry some things to think about. I want them, however, to not be dropped on you all, thus the notes about the Johto/Kanto War.

-The Mirror of Jirachi... someone suggested this to me and it was just too perfect. I think they said to use the Pokemon but I like the Mirror. I changed it a bit and I think made it both I nice homage and something new.

-Dumbledore's Answer... there is a reason there are so many Evil!Dumbledore stories. This will not be one of them. As I said, i am switching things up in here and one major change is that Dumbledore isn't as heartless as he was in the books.

-Harry's vision... without giving stuff away, I will say that two of the characters standing with Harry in the final vision/reflection are not from the Harry Potter Universe; one is from Pokemon and the other is an OC.

Now then, comments on the reviews (and might I add, thank you so much for all the reviews! I love seeing these chapters get responses and some, like Tyler, can tell you that I DO respond back... a lot.)

-Naming Pokemon: In universe answer is some people name their Pokemon due to their connection. Author Reason: You all know what a Ralts looks like. But if I begin calling her Becky you might forget it is a Ralts.

-Pokemon Coordinators... honestly, don't know a lot about them but I will try and at least mention them

- Don't worry... while I am giving Lily some love here, James will also get his time to shine. Book 3 will be James-heavy, thanks to the Marauders.

-Lily's Torchic came from a family that bred them in Avalon that was killed by Voldemort. Torchics are around, but none are in Avalon anymore.

-Don't worry, Harry will not have all his Pokemon given to him.


	16. Norbert the Dragon

"What is that suppose to be?"

Ron looked up at Hermione. The girl was scowling at him, her face puckered up as if she had taken a bite out of what she thought was a candy apple only to discover it was BitterRoot. He considered ignoring her, but realized that giving Hermione Granger the cold shoulder was quite useless, as the trainer had the drive of a Lucario and would not give up a topic no matter how much you tried to convince her otherwise.

"A pokéball," Ron stated calmly. "I would think you'd know that, what with us being in Pokéball Making Class. It would be pretty silly for me to make a delicious sandwich in here, wouldn't it?" He licked his lips, wishing class would be over so he could grab a bite to eat. In his head danced visions of a nice thick sandwich with melted cheese and a few slices of-

"No, I mean why did you make that," Hermione growled, annoyed by the red-head's casual dismissal of her question.

"Uh, because Prof. Flitwick told us to?"

Hermione's sour look remained but underneath that Ron could see her "I am going to lecture you about what you did wrong" look. He wondered if all women were born with that look, as it was quite similar to his mum's look when she caught him trying to take shortcuts with his chores. Come to think of it, even his sister Ginny had that-

"-and when you... are you even listening to me?"

"Is there a problem, Miss Granger?" Prof. Flitwick said, walking over to their table. The students looked down at their diminutive teacher, who was staring at them with a casual curiosity.

Hermione nodded. "Professor, Ron decided not to follow your instructions." She gestured toward the pokéball she had been making. It was a deep blue color with a red circle on the top and a retracting panel on the bottom.

"Yes, Miss Granger, that is a very nice Lure Ball," Flitwick said. "But I don't see what it has to do with Mr. Weasley."

"You told us to make Lure Balls... well, I don't know what Ron is trying to do but that-" she gestured at Ron's pokéball, "-is clearly not a Lure Ball!" This was true. The outer coating was red and there were orange threads running along its surface.

"Well, Mr. Weasley?" Prof. Flitwick asked.

Ron smiled sheepishly. "Well... no offense, Professor, but we've been studying Lure Balls for the last week and it got kinda boring so I decided to try something new." He gestured towards the ball. "So I read ahead a bit and saw we were going to be doing Lava Balls next, which sound pretty cool but then I began fiddling with the acorn you gave us to use for our lure balls and I wondered what would happen if you layered it with the acorn you'd need for a lava ball and... well, I did this kinda twisty-turny move and they just fused together perfectly!"

"Indeed, Mr. Weasley. 5 points from Gryffindor for fooling around in class." Ron groaned and the rest of the class was glaring at him and Hermione, wondering which one they should blame for the loss of points. "And 25 points TO Gryffindor for the finest IceMelter Ball I've ever seen."

"Wait, what?" Hermione said in surprise.

"Is that what this is?" Ron said in surprise.

"Indeed, Mr. Weasley. Normally I don't cover core fusing till the end of second year, so I am rather impressed with your work." Flitwick walked back to his desk, a smile slight tugging on the corners of his lips as he thought of what Professor Snape would say when told that one of the students he'd classified as a 'lay about' had managed to skip ahead a whole year when it came to his class.

"But... how... you... AAAAA!" Hermione let out a cry one might normally hear from a trainer who'd just been hit by a Thunderbolt. Flitwick shook his head, turning away from the class lest they see that he had lost the battle to keep himself from smiling.

~MC~MC~MC~

Ron shifted uneasily as Hermione stabbed at her baked potato. Harry had pointed out that it somewhat resembled his head and now the boy was wincing every time Hermione drove her fork into the poor spud.

"So..." Ron said uneasily, trying to move their attention onto something else... anything else, "...uh..."

Hermione began to pound on the potato, smushing its 'face' in.

Neville, taking pity on the red-head. "Hermione, did you find anything out about Nicholas Silph?"

The bushy-haired girl's eyes lit up, her potato forgotten as she reached down and grabbed her notes from her backpack. The four friends huddled close together, talking in hushed whispered which would have instantly drew the curiosity of their classmates if it weren't for the fact that they always did this.

"Ok, so you know that site you and Ron found?" Harry nodded. "I found some similar information over the break, so I began to dig a bit deeper into Mr. Silph's company, Silph Co."

"That is the one that the Sons of Johto wanted to hit, right?" Neville asked.

Hermione frowned. "Maybe. Mr. Silph thought so but that doesn't mean it was true." She shook her head, getting back on track. "The point is that he thought so and that there was something his company had made that he feared ended up in their hands."

Harry brow wrinkled in confusion. "Who are the Sons of Johto, anyway? I mean, everyone keeps talking about them in hushed voices like they are Team Nocturne or something."

"They kind of are, depending on who you ask." Hermione pulled out a different set of notes and began to read. "The Sons of Johto are a revolutionary group founded by Jack Kenway that fought against Kanto's government." Seeing that Harry was still lost Hermione continued. "Up until three years ago Kanto and Johto were run by the same government. They had separate gyms but they shared an Eilite Four. Been that way for hundreds of years. The Sons of Johto rose up and claimed that Kanto was oppressing them. They said that Kanto was occupying Johto, refusing them their basic rights, and that they wanted their freedom. It started peacefully enough, but after a bunch of protesters died in Mahogany Town The Sons published this declaration about how they would take back Johto. Things fell apart at that point. There was a huge war... Johto raised an army and marched into Kanto and began attacking their military bases and government buildings."

Ron, who'd grown impatient, butted in. "Jack Kenway and Lance Blackthorn decided to have a Pokémon battle to decide who won the war. Jack won and Johto was declared free. The Sons of Johto got the region, Kanto was driven out, so on and so forth."

Hermione glared at him. "The point is that Nicholas Silph obviously feared that The Sons were going to try and take something from him... something power and something small."

"How do you figure that?" Ron complained.

Hermione sighed. "If it wasn't powerful then why steal it?"

"And it had to be small so he could transport it," Neville said, "and if it is the same package Hagrid got then it can't be any bigger than a Pokéball."

"Exactly the size of a pokéball," Hermione said, glad to finally have come to her massive find.

"Why would anyone care so much about a pokéball?" Harry wondered.

"They would care if it were more than just a pokéball," Hermione said. "They would care if it were THE ball."

"The ball? What ball?" Ron complained.

"The Master Ball."

It seemed to the four that by merely speaking those words Hermione had made the lights grow dim and the rest of the world fade away.

"...the Master Ball?" Neville whispered, hugging Flora tight. "But... but Prof. Flitwick said it was a myth. Everybody knows it's a myth."

"And why wouldn't he say that... if Prof. Dumbledore was trying to hide it?" Hermione reasoned.

"What's a Master Ball?" Harry asked. He could sense the power behind the title but didn't have the frame of reference to understand why it was so important. He knew it must be special... why else would professors lie and sneak about and set traps to protect it… and try and defeat said traps to steal it? But what it did... well, that was lost on Harry.

Hermione glanced about, as if fearing at any moment Dumbledore would swoop in and demand they come with him for discovering his secret. "The Master Ball is said to be the most powerful Pokéball ever made. No one is sure how it was created... I read theories ranging from it being created from fusing 10 different acorns, to magic being used to power it, to its shell being made from a fossil acorn that has long gone extinct." She licked her lips nervously. "The point is that for centuries people have tried to create a Master Ball."

"But... why?" Harry pressed.

"A Master Ball can capture any Pokémon." Harry blinked and Hermione sighed; it seemed she would have to talk to Harry this one time as if he were Ron. "Even the best balls currently out there don't have a good catch rate when it comes to powerful or rare Pokémon. You might need 100 Ultra Balls to catch a full grown Metagross, even if you had it to the point of almost fainting. But with a Master Ball... you'd have it completely under your control with one throw, no matter how strong it was."

"And what if they reverse engineered it?" Neville said, hugging Flora a bit tighter. "They could mass produce them... figure out ways to make it work on already captured Pokémon..."

Ron gulped. "Anyone that had a Master Ball could take over the world."

Harry nodded. "Ok... so it is really bad and needs to be protected... why here?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe the Headmaster has a plan or something happened and he had to hide the ball here. He must have a reason. But obviously someone else knows... that's why they set the Golurks into the school."

"I think whoever is trying to get the ball is also the one who let that Magnamite into the Gauntlet arena," Neville stated.

Harry paled. "But why target me?"

"Maybe you are just unlucky," Ron offered. "I mean, you did accidently run into the Golurk... maybe it didn't matter who was there, Snape wanted a distraction."

"Wait, Snape? What about Professor Snape?" Hermione asked.

"He's the one going after the ball," Ron stated. "Harry and I saw him limping into a classroom and he admitted out loud that Tiny attacked him."

Hermione shook her head, unable to believe it. All her life she had been taught that authority figures were trustworthy. Officer Jennys and Nurse Joys and any officials were people you ran to for help... not the people you needed saving from!

"We aren't mistaken," Harry said, reading her thoughts. "We saw him limp in and he was complaining about Hagrid and Tiny."

"And McGonagall was with him," Ron hissed.

"But... but she's out head of house!" Neville whimpered.

"That doesn't mean she's one of the good guys," Ron stated. "I mean, look at her Pokémon! A Purrloin and a Bisharp?"

Harry, who was on Ron's side for this argument, blinked in confusion. "Huh?" When the others stared at him he shrugged. "I just don't get what the big deal is."

"Big... big deal?" Ron practically screeched. "Dark Pokémon, Harry!"

Hermione groaned. "Ron, Dark Pokémon aren't evil."

"Then why are they called 'Dark Pokémon' then? Last I checked all things connected to the dark were bad! Robberies happen in the dark... bedtimes happen after dark… uh... dark meat on a chicken is the worst part..."

Flora scoffed.

"Ron, in the past people called them 'Dark' Pokémon because they specialized in sneaky tactics." Hermione pulled out her dex, skimming through it. "They aren't evil... no more than Ghost Pokémon aren't really ghosts but instead are Pokémon with loosely bunched ectoplasmic molecules that allow them to take on intangible forms and inject themselves into other physical objects. In fact, I have been writing to Minister Fudge to have him change Dark and Ghost types to their correct classification: Trickster and Ecto type."

"Isn't it bad enough that there are Fairy types now?" Ron whined. "Why couldn't they have been called Moon types? Or Alien... that would have been cool!"

"Well, the reason they call it Fairy Type is-"

"Guys," Harry hissed, drawing their attention and stopping the fight before it could really grow any bigger. "We need to focus on figuring out a way to protect the Master Ball."

"We do?" Neville asked softly. "Why can't we just... let someone else do it?"

"Who else could we ask?" Hermione asked. "Lavender? Draco?"

"He'd just glare at the ball because it didn't bow to him," Ron muttered.

"Another teacher?" Neville asked.

Harry shook his head. "We don't know who we can trust. Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall are both pretty powerful trainers and respected teachers. I wouldn't have expected either of them to be thieves."

"Well, I would have expected Snape," Ron grunted.

"Ok, but not McGonagall," Harry pointed out. He glanced at the staff table. "They all could be in on it."

"A thievery ring!" Ron gasped, eyes wide. "McGonagall is the planner, Snape is the tech guy, Flitwick is their wheelman and Sprout is their muscle!"

"This isn't a movie, Ron," Hermione stated. "What about Quirrell?"

"What about him?" Ron asked and even Hermione had to admit it was silly to think that their stuttering Defense teacher could be a thief. He wasn't stealthy at all and while he was a good duelist he tended to take way too long settng things up to be able to handle making up a plan on the fly if a job went south.

"We could talk to Prof. Dumbledore, let him know what we know."

"He won't believe us," Neville stated. "Those are his colleagues and we are kids that are breaking the rules." His friends stared at him and Neville's eyes went wide when he realized he'd just argued for them to protect the Master Ball on their own. "Wait, I mean-"

"Hagrid!" Harry suddenly said. When the others glanced at him he merely grinned. "Hagrid can help us! He helped get Tiny into that room, he got the Master Ball in the first place, and Snape was complaining about him! Hagrid can help us."

"You mean Mr. "There is no Tiny"?" Ron asked with a snort.

Harry instantly deflated. Of course Hagrid wouldn't help... he would be too busy denying everything they told him!

"Maybe..." Hermione finally said, "...maybe we could test the waters and see if he could help us. Harry, you have tea with him today, right?" Harry eagerly nodded. "Why don't we all go down and carefully test him to see if he would be open to giving us more information and helping us out."

Ron shrugged. "It's worth a try."

"Or we could do nothing and hope Prof. Snape gives us?" Neville asked hopefully. Seeing the looks they were flashing him, Neville lowered his head into his hands and wondered what would be worse: to die protecting some ball from the teachers of Hogwarts... or facing his gran when he was expelled for trying to protect some ball from the teachers of Hogwarts.

~MC~MC~MC~

There was a Wailord in the room.

Not really, of course. That was merely an expression that usually meant that there was some topic no one wanted to discuss yet all of them knew about. While this definition could have fit for the four Gryffindors and the giant man that sat before them pouring tea, it wasn't the reason it was being used. Yes, there was the topic of the Master Ball that needed to be dealt with and none of them knew quite how they wanted to broach it to Hagrid. All four of them knew that phrasing it the wrong way would result in the large man waving away their fears and dismissing them, much as he had done when he'd spilled the beans about Tiny.

That wasn't the Wailord in the room.

If one wanted to be factual, then the proper phrasing of that statement would be 'there is a dragon egg roughly the size of a large melon in the room'. This WASN'T a metaphor at all.

Harry glanced at the brilliant blue egg with a red top that was seated next to him in, of all things, a baby's highchair.

"So... Hagrid..." Hermione said awkwardly, only for her face to twist the moment the sugary tea hit her tongue.

"How are ya enjoyin' your classes?" Hagrid asked happily.

Ron, who'd fallen in love with the overly sweet tea, held out his cup for another serving. "Really good, other than Potions." Ron scowled, though unlike Hermione this had nothing to do with his tea. "Snape-"

"Professor Snape," Hermione reminded him, deciding it was safer to stick with the biscuits than attempt another try at the tea. Well, she had thought as much, only to find they were somehow even sweeter than the tea. Hermione could almost sense her parents wailing in horror along with all the other dentists in the region.

"Whatever. PROFESSOR Snape is always on our case."

Hagrid waved this complaint off. "Oh, Severus is a good lad... just a bit bitter, I'll admit, but he can grow on you."

"Like a rash," Ron muttered.

Neville poured some tea into a bowl for Flora, the Bulbasaur happily sipping the drink. "Mr. Hagrid... is that really a... a dragon egg?"

"What's that?" Neville gestured towards the chair and Hagrid beamed. "Oh, I almost forgot about it!" he patted the egg's top lovingly. "This 'ere is Norbert!"

"Uh... hi," Harry said, waving at the egg. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, I was feelin' a bit lonely, what with my Tiny in the castle, so I pooled my money and bought me this egg! Not sure what 'e's suppose ta be, but me friend said he was a dragon! I've always wanted me a dragon and now I have me chance!" Hagrid hugged himself in delight before realizing what he had said. "Uh, there-"

"-is no Tiny," the children stated as one.

"Right!"

The six of them sat there, drinking their tea (save for Hermione). The Wailord in the room returned and now he'd gained an extra 50 stones.

They were saved from the awkwardness of the situation by the faint sound similar to glass cracking. A glance at the dragon egg told them that it wasn't breaking glass...

"'e's 'atching! 'e's 'atching!" Hagrid cried out in glee, clapping his hands.

"What do you think it will be?" Harry asked.

"Maybe it will be a Dratini," Ron wagered.

"Or an Axew," Neville supplied.

Hermione considered the shelf for a moment. "I don't know, it could be-"

They never got to hear her guess, as at that moment there was a knock on the door. Hagrid looked at the door, then back at the egg, then back at the door.

"I think Norbert has a few more minutes, Hagrid," Hermione said gently. "If I remember right, Dragon Pokémon take the longest to hatch, so..."

There was another knock and Hagrid hurried over to the door. Throwing it open, he looked around in confusion; there was no one there. He was about to walk back inside when he spotted the note that had been stuck in the doorknocker. He grabbed it and looked it over, eyes wide in shock. "Blimey, Prof. Sprout needs me help with something..." he glanced at the children and Norbert's egg.

"We'll stay with him, Hagrid," Harry said. "Don't worry."

"Bless ya, 'arry, bless ya!" Hagrid ran out the door, calling out that he would be back in moments.

"I wonder why Prof. Sprout didn't just come in?" Neville asked, taking a sip of his tea.

"Or just call Hagrid on his dex," Hermione stated, wrapping a blanket around Norbert's wiggling egg.

The blanket promptly fell to the floor as the egg was snatched away by two green vines.

The children turned towards Flora, but the Bulbasaur wasn't the one that had eggnaped Norbert; that 'honor' belonged to another grass Pokémon that was standing with her trainer in the doorway.

"What do we have here?" Draco asked, looking over Norbert's egg. The green vines retracted, allowing the blond boy to handle and inspect the wiggly egg. "I knew following you Gryffs would be worth it. Sneaking around, chatting up with that idiot... and look at what I find!"

"Give that back, Draco!" Harry shouted.

The blond Slytherin smirked, tossing the egg up and catching it. "What, this? I believe you were the one that taught me that you shouldn't have things that don't belong to you, Potter. Last I checked, you didn't have a dragon egg."

"It isn't yours either!" Hermione shouted, standing up and taking a step towards Draco, only to freeze when the boy lifted the egg up over his head. "Draco!"

"What would Hagrid say if he came in here and found that you had let his poor little egg fall to the ground and get scrambled?" Draco asked. "It would break his heart."

"What is he going to say when he gets back and finds out you stole his egg?" Ron charged.

Draco merely chuckled, Snivy leaping onto his shoulder. "He might complain but it really isn't stealing, is it? He abandoned this egg and I heroically found it right before it hatched." He sneered and began to back away, Norbert's egg wiggling as cracks appeared along its surface. "Everyone knows that baby Pokémon imprint on the first trainer they see. This dragon is going to see me and I am going to be his trainer. Nothing Hagrid can do about it and even if he does try something my father will have that giant fool tied up in court for years! I'll have graduated and already beat the Pokémon League by the time they assign a judge to the case." He took another step back, locking eyes with a fuming Potter. "Of course, I can't imagine it will help your relationship with the moron that much when he realizes you failed to protect dear sweet-"

"BULBA!"

Draco had made one mistake when it came to his plan. It wasn't all his fault, of course, as many people made the same mistake he did.

He'd written Neville Longbottom off as a weakling and a coward.

"Flora, Vine Whip!" Neville called out, his Pokémon firing off two vines that yanked the egg from Draco's grasp.

"That's mine!" Draco shouted. "Snivy, Dragon Tail!"

"Ludwig!" Harry called out, sending out his Litwick. "Will O Wisp!"

Snivy cried out in pain as the phantom fire struck her, burning her leaves and causing her attack to miss Flora. Hermione and Ron rushed forward, pushing Draco to the ground as Neville hurried over and grabbed Flora, Harry snatching Norbert's egg and dashing towards the castle.

"GET BACK HERE!" Draco screamed, outraged that they hadn't let him have his moment to gloat.

"Ralts!" Hermione called out, sending out her little psychic Pokémon. "Double Team x 3!"

"Ralts!" the Pokémon proclaimed, projecting 12 duplicate images of herself. Snivy looked about, trying to figure out which one was which, only for Draco to rush through the illusions, shattering them.

"Ludwig, Smog!" Harry shouted to Ludwig as they ran as hard as they could, Draco fast on their heels, hurling insults. Ludwig nodded, firing off a blast of thick black smoke that made it hard for Drago and Snivy to see where Harry and his friends were. Snivy's Vine Whip nearly struck Harry; it was Ralts that managed to send out a Confusion blast that sent the grass snake tumbling. "We're-"

Draco had managed to catch up and leapt forward, grabbing Harry's jacket and tugging the boy backwards. Harry cried out as the egg flew from his hands. He fell on top of Draco, eyes wide with fear as he saw Norbert's egg descend towards the ground...

"Whoa!"

All four Gryffindors let out a sigh of relief as Hagrid reached out and easily caught the blue and red egg.

"'arry? Draco Malfoy? What are you-"

Like Hermione and Draco before him, he was interrupted, only this time it was the sound of Norbert's shell shattering, bursting apart and showering them with bits and pieces as the newborn Pokémon let out a tiny chirp.

"Oh... he's beautiful!" Hagrid exclaimed, locking eyes with his new partner as tears ran down his cheeks.

Hermione forced herself to smile. Ron grimaced, though he had the decency to cover his mouth to hide it. Neville backed away as if the new arrival was going to leap up and bite his face. Harry titled his head, wondering if all the shaking had damaged the Pokémon somehow. Flora blinked. Ludwig let out a confused sound that sounded rather like a 'huh?'. Ralts scratched her head. Draco scowled at the sight of the Pokemon he'd tried to take, suddenly glad he'd failed.

The baby dragon was many things but 'cute' was not the word any of them would use. His body was thick and heavy, dark blue in color. His clawed hands and feet were held at strange, curled angles and his thick tail beat against Hagrid's chest. Wings that looked more like flaps of stiff skin waved back and forth. Most striking though was the creature's head: crimson in color, it was stubby and the mouth was filled with tiny little teeth.

Harry pulled out his dex.

_Druddigon- The Lurking Pokémon. Many of these Pokémon served as guardians of castles, watching over the gates._

Glancing up at Hogwarts, Harry couldn't help but agree with the Dex's assessment; Norbert did look a lot like the gargoyles that adorned the castle's archway.

"Well, Hagrid, what is all the commotion?" Prof. Dumbledore approached them, his undershirt of choice this evening a wild floral print that featured Mankeys happily eating bananas.

"'arry and all 'is friends made sure ta get little Norbert to me before 'e 'atched! If not for them I would 'ave missed it!" Hagrid nuzzled the little baby dragon, not even noticing when Norbert tried to bite his ear off. "I've always wanted a dragon, Professor, ya know that, and now I 'ave little Norbert 'ere… if it weren't for these five I would have missed it." He blinked back tears and grinned. "We 'ave ta do somethin' for'em!"

Dumbledore stroked his beard. "Well, let us think… I would normally award housepoints but this interhouse cooperation deserves a far better treat." The headmaster didn't seem to hear the squawks of protest Ron was issuing at the thought of them working with Draco on anything. "Yes… yes… Hagrid, you were planning on taking a trip to the Ice Cavern in a week, were you not? Why don't you take these five with you? They could bring their Pokéballs and perhaps catch a new Pokémon."

As much as the four Gryffindors wanted to protest and inform the teachers of what Draco had done, the promise of new Pokémon was too great for them to turn down. Ron especially was bouncing up and down in glee, ecstatic that he might FINALLY get a partner that he could actually work with. He'd been saddened that he could not help in the race to escape Draco… he'd figured if he sent Scabbers out the rat would have probably turned traitor and helped Draco.

As horrible as it was… they would have to let Draco get away with his crime if they wanted to snag some new Pokémon.

Thus the four left a smirking Draco and a grinning Hagrid behind, all thoughts of Nicholas Silph pushed aside… for now.

* * *

**Reader Question: Should I begin giving these chapters titles? **I know a lot of writers do that to mimic Rowling... and I do have titles for all these chapters. Do you prefer it as it is now? Should I add the titles after the fact? Or should I begin titling them ASAP?

Chapter Notes: Alright, some things to cover, since this chapter had a lot!

Again, I continue to weave elements of Johto into this story, and for good reason! The Sons, while not playing a role in The Chamber of the Unown, will play a small role in book 3 (The Lord of Sevii Island) and a major role in Book 4 (Title undecided... I have several in mind, including 'Harry Potter and The Grand Trainer Tournament', 'Harry Potter and the Traitor of Avalon' and 'Harry Potter and The Sons of Johto').

Some of you may know that my first writing genre was comedy. I love writing Hagrid, as he just offers so many good jokes.

The race was fun to write because it let me hint that their pokemon are getting stronger and learning new moves. None will evolve until Book 2, most likely, but this is setting up the fact that they are getting better and hinting at what they can do.

Yup, Norbert is a Druddigon, what some consider to be the worst pokemon design of Gen V. Considering that Hagrid tends to love big, ugly, dangerous things, I thought Druddigon would work perfect. And yeah, Hagrid gets to keep Norbert. I feel bad he lost his dragon in the book so in this universe Hagrid will FINALLY get to raise his little baby dragon

And that leads the issue of size when it comes to Pokemon. I am going to play a bit loose with some of the sizes of Pokemon. When they hatch, they will be small and grow bigger (such as Norbert). Others I am going to size up, mostly because in my head they should be bigger. For example, Tyranitar and Aggron will appear later on but will be around 8 to 10 feet tall instead of 6 feet. They are like dinosaurs and should be bigger. Same with some of the legendaries. For the most part though the pokemon will remain their official size.

Now, onto review comments! We are VERY close to 200 reviews and I would love to get those final 17 this chapter!

-I will admit... I do like Evil Dumbledore stories. But only where his evil is revealed first chapter and Harry proceeds to beat his behind down. Stories but robst are my favorite. Still, this will not be an Evil Dumbledore fic

- Digimage is the one that first clued me into the Jirachi idea.

-Classes will play a greater role in the later books. This story was all about setting the world up.

- Some people have said they love the backstory stuff I am doing for Johto and for the characters here like Lily and James. I have actually considered doing a side story called 'Tales From Avalon' that would tell different stories that can't fit in these books, like Lance and Jack's final battle, Lily getting Torchic, so on. What do you think?


	17. The Ice Cavern

Author's Note: Over 200 reviews! A huge thanks to every reader who has taken the time to review this story and let us hit this milestone! lets see how many more we can get before Book 1 ends.

* * *

"I think you have enough in there, Hermione."

Harry watched as his friend struggled with her backpack's zipper, grunting and straining to pull it shut. The entire thing was overloaded, the bag's sides bulging out at awkward angles as Hermione strained to close it.

"I'd say you have too much," Ron stated, hefting his backpack onto his shoulder. His was much lighter and baggier; of course, this was to be slightly expected as the only extra gear he was bringing was some Chocolate Poliwags and two Onix Cakes. Hermione, meanwhile, had loaded her pack with two sets of spare outfits, a thermal blanket, ten tins of emergency rations, three Escape Ropes, seven potions, a lantern with a pack of spare batteries, a fire-starting kit, a mini shovel and a five flares.

"Well, Ronald," Hermione said, grunting as she forced the zipper up the final 3 inches, "when you are frozen to death we'll who overpacked and who underpacked."

Harry just shook his head at their antics and patted his belt, making sure for the tenth time that he had his pokéball case. They had all received the same note from Prof. McGonagall laying out the rules for this special expedition: they were only allowed to bring a total of four pokeballs; they could only catch one Pokémon; they had to stay with Hagrid at all times; any fighting would result in the trip ending and detentions being handed out. Even having to deal with Draco was not enough to get Harry to consider acting up and costing himself and his friends a chance to hunt for new Pokémon.

All of their classmates had been jealous of the fact that they got to journey to the Ice Cavern. Most first years got to go on their first hunt in the small costal forest on the main island. They would grab a bird Pokémon or a common water type but that was it and the whole experience was more of a training exercise and a glimpse of what they would be doing their second year, when they were allowed to go to Helga's Island for the 2nd Year Hunt. The Ice Cavern offered a wide range of Ice, Rock, and Ground Pokémon, as well as several other breeds that used the caves for hibernation. Dean and Seamus had alternated between jealous and joy for their friends, while Lavender had talked Hermione's ear off about all the different Pokémon she could catch; nearly all of them cute and cuddly.

"Ready Neville?" Harry asked, walking up to the shy boy. Neville managed a smile even as he helped Flora put a nice wool cap around her bulb. The Bulbasaur merely grunted in annoyance, not understanding why they had to go at all; the booties she wore made her feet itch and the scarf around her neck felt like a noose… all of this to fight off the horrid ice and cold.

"I guess," Neville said. He had been excited too, though his joy had been tempered by his usual timidness. "You're sure that we are only going to go to the first two levels, right?"

"Positive," Harry stated. "Hagrid said we won't go any lower than that and if we run into trouble he'll use an escape rope to help us get back to the entrance."

"Come on, guys!" Ron called out, Hermione huffing and puffing as she lumbered behind him, her back nearly snapping under the weight of her pack. "Let's go!"

Harry and Neville shared a good-natured smile before darting off to catch up with their friend.

~MC~MC~MC~

Draco scoffed as soon as he spotted the four Gryffindors marching towards the dock. "We are given this great honor and you dress like that?" He rolled his eyes and tossed his backpack lazily into the large carrier deck that bobbed up and down in the water. Shaped like a car frame, the metal tubes that formed its domed surface were lined with small glowing blue lights that looked like LED bulbs. The inside resembled a speedboat's interior minus the steering wheel.

Hagrid was chatting away at the Lapras that was going to take them over to the Ice Cavern, paying little heed to the children. It didn't matter that he couldn't understand the beautiful cries the Lapras was giving off, he still yammered away as if the Pokémon was a long-lost friend.

Draco looked over the four Gryffs and found them sourly lacking. The blond Slytherin was wearing a brand new jacket, done up in his house colors, that had been designed to withstand the cold. A pair of fingerless gloves adorned his hands and he also had a brand new backpack filled with newly purchased gear. His father and mother had been quite proud of the way he'd managed to get himself involved with this trip and showered him with goodies.

Neville was about the best but the way he had his Bulbasaur dressed up was just ridiculous. Hermione looking like a Hippowdon was trying to ride on her back, while Harry just stood there like a ragamuffin. Ron was the worst though, in Draco's opinion. The boy's winter jacket was clearly a hand-me-down and he had been forced to dress in layers to make up for the fact that the coat's lining was nearly gone.

"What are you trying to do, hope the Pokémon are laughing at you so hard you can catch them easier?"

Ron took a step forward but Hermione and Harry held him back. "Some of us are going to be Pokémon Trainers through skill, Malfoy," Harry finally said once he knew Ron wouldn't do anything foolish to end their trip before it began. "We don't need money to trick people into thinking we are better than we are."

Draco ground his teeth together. "That because you aren't-"

"All 'ere?"Hagrid called out, stopping the fight before it could begin. The large man clapped his hands together and walked over to them, Norbert perched on his shoulder and Snubbull trotting beside him. "All right, everyone in the boat! We need ta get movin' if you're all going to 'ave the time to catch your new Pokémon!" The Lapras Hagrid had been talking to dove under the water, waiting for the children to get into the carrier before rising up and settling it on her back. With a powerful push of her flippers she was off, gliding through the water with speed and grace. "Secure yourselves!" Hagrid called out, pressing a button on the control panel and bringing up the energy field that sealed the six of them within the carrier.

Lapras cried out and all the students, Draco included, closed their eyes as she dove under the cold waters. The students forced themselves to open their eyes and, finding that the carrier wasn't flooding, began to look about. They saw Magikarp and Feebas swimming past them, as well as Frillish and even a Seel. The internal lights within the carrier let them see out several feet, catching the ghostly shapes of aquatic Pokémon as they swam around them, investigating this new arrival. Lapras didn't need the light and after a few minutes she began to pull up from her dive, targeting a cave opening in a large rocky outcropping that rose up from the lake's bottom all the way to the surface. Hagrid smiled as he touched a few controls, the lights dimming as they rushed through the cavern. There was a wall of white water that briefly obscured their vision, then they found themselves breaking through the water's surface.

The Ice Cavern's name didn't disappoint. As Hagrid lowered the force field the trainers shivered slightly and their breath came out in white misty clouds. The walls were frost covered and the ceiling, much to their surprise, was constantly sending bits of snow raining down upon them, so that it felt to the children that they were in the middle of a winter flurry. Lapras let out a happy cry and began to lick a stalagmite, which would provide the large Pokémon with the minerals needed to build up its rocky shell.

"Alright kids, let's move!" Hagrid said happily, Norbert attempting to eat the ridiculous red and purple stocking cap the huge man was wearing. Snubbull remained behind, guarding the carrier. "We 'ave about three 'ours before we need to begin 'eadin' back. Don't be too stingy when it comes to pickin' out your new Pokémon but don't just go after the first one ya find. Find one that fits ya and then battle 'ard for it!"

The first person to have any luck was Draco. He stumbled upon a Geodude within 8 minutes of their trip but merely had Snivy take it out. When Hermione had expressed her surprise that Draco didn't capture the Pokémon the blond Slytherin had laughed.

"Please!" he exclaimed. "Flint already has a Graveler... a Malfoy doesn't copy anyone, even another Slytherin."

Ron, who had been considering the risk of letting Scabbers out to go after another Geodude, promptly decided that while Draco might be a poncy git... the last thing he wanted was to have something in common with Marcus Bloody Flint.

"Wait..." Neville said, the group halting as he walked over to a few rocks. He leapt back in surprise when a brown and white Pokémon popped up, laughing at the startled look on Neville's face.

Flora, who had ended up taking a tumble because of the prank and now had powdered snow on her beak, glared at the new Pokémon and rushed forward, delivering a nasty Vine Whip that left the giggling Pokémon dazed. She glanced over and Neville and, with a huff, actually grabbed one of the IceMelter balls Ron had made for them all and forced it into his hand, her whips wrapping around Neville's arm and like a puppet master, made him to throw the ball. The laughing Pokémon tried to send out some cold wind to freeze the ball but the IceMelter activated instantly, burning away the ice and leaving the cold Pokémon dazed as the heatwave hit it.

Wobble... wobble... wobble...click!

"Great going, Neville!" Harry cheered, patting the surprised boy on the shoulder. "That was a quick battle."

"Uh... yeah," Neville said, staring dumbly at the pokéball he'd just picked up. "It was mostly Flora..."

"Some trainer you are," Draco muttered, "letting your Pokémon boss you around..."

"That just shows he is good at training." Hermione argued. "Flora knew exactly what to do!"

"What did you get?" Ron asked.

"Uh..." Neville said, holding out the pokéball and calling out his new partner. The squat Pokémon blinked, looking around before seeing Neville and laughing. The chuckles died in its throat when it saw Flora, who merely smiled and caused the boastful Pokémon to quickly stand up straight and bow to Neville in respect.

Hermione's dex dinged as she scanned the Pokémon. "Snover," she read. "Oh, it's a grass/ice type... that is an interesting combination!"

Draco opened his mouth to make a snarky remark, but seeing that Hagrid was actually paying attention to him caused the boy to decide it would be better to wait until he'd caught his own Pokémon before baiting the Gryffindors.

It took another hour for them to finally run into another Pokémon that interested any of them. They'd found a few Zubats and more Geodudes but all agreed that they wanted something like Neville's Snover: different and unique. What use was going to the Ice Cavern if you picked up a common Pokémon you could have gotten during the normal 1st Year Hunt?

"Look at that one," Draco said waving his hand at a little Pokémon that they'd stumbled upon. It was a Snorunt and her teeth were chattering as she pulled her 'cloak' tighter around her dark body. "Who would want something that pathetic?"

"She isn't pathetic!" Hermione snapped. "She just needs a little love." Hermione walked over, kneeling beside the Snorunt. The Pokémon looked at her nervously, eyes wide as Hermione held out some berries for the shivering ice type to try. "Come on... its good."

Snorunt blinked, cautiously approaching and trying the treat out. Her eyes lit up at the first bite and she began to happily eat the food, her shivers forgotten about as she happily chowed down. Hermione, once her hand was empty, reached down and stroked the Pokémon's head.

"How about it... you want to be my new partner?"

"Sno sno!" Snorunt answered, bouncing up in do in delight. Hermione laughed and took out her IceMelter, letting Snorunt examine it (and coo in delight at the heat it gave off) before activating the capture function.

Wobble... wobble...wobble...click!

"Ha!" Draco laughed.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked in annoyance, putting the Pokéball back in her belt case.

The Slytherin shook his head. "Look at you two... we are given a chance to catch some rare Pokémon and you get a giggling idiot and a coward."

"At least they caught something, unlike you!" Harry fired back.

"I have standards... unlike them; of course, it should be obvious they lack standards when they consider you and Weasley here friends!"

"Come on now," Hagrid said, trying to get the kids to move along. "We still have another two 'ours before-"

RUMBLE!

"...what was that?" Neville asked, hugging Flora tight to his chest.

"I don't know," Ron stated, eyes wide as the cave began to shake again. "Earthquake?"

Hagrid shook his head. "Nah, I don't-DRILBUR!"

The trainers and the giant man let out cries as the burrowing Pokémon ripped right under their feet, the floor tilting as the tunnels the mole-Pokémon was making caused the structural integrity of that section of the cave to become unstable. Ron and Draco slammed into each other while the ground under Harry's feet split open and sent the boy falling into darkness.

"Harry!" Hagrid cried out, diving down to try and grab the mess-haired boy, only to be sucked into the crevice as well. Hermione and Neville clung a pair of stalagmites, glancing over in time to see the patch of icy ground Ron and Draco were standing on collapse and send them tumbling down to next floor. Flora launching out her whips and tied Hermione and Neville to the stalagmites, ensuring they stayed put until the rumbling stopped.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Hermione said in a near panic.

Neville took a deep breath, channeling his inner Harry. "We make our way back to the carrier." When Hermione gaped at him he shrugged. "We can leave a note here letting Hagrid know that's where we went, but if it were me I'd be trying to make my way back towards the exit. Their dexs should have a map of this place, so they just need to get through."

Hermione nodded, thrilled that she had a plan to work off of. The world seemed to tilt back into alignment now that she had a goal to work towards. "Alright... let's go."

~MC~MC~MC~

Ron groaned, his hand feebly reaching up and rubbing his sore forehead. He could feel warm blood sticking to his fingers but found that it didn't terrify him like it should. There was an eerie calm about him, as if all the world were moving in slow motion while he was bundled up in cotton and fluff that protected him from all outside influences.

This lasted roughly 30 seconds before he found himself being yanked to his feet and the world flipped end over end as he fought to regain his balance. Sound returned, slow went to fast and it took all he could to keep from vomiting.

"-et up, you red-headed moron!" Draco snarled, ripping his hand away from Ron's and rubbing his palm against his pant leg.

"What... what..."

Draco sneered in disgust. "And here I was hoping that fall would have knocked some sense into you."

Ron growled and lunged at the Slytherin, only to moan when his head bobbed forward. It felt all at once as if his head were both filled with helium and made of lead. His hands flailed out, almost striking Draco (though even Ron couldn't determine if this had been accidently or if he'd meant to strike the blond), before he finally regained his equilibrium and had a chance to inspect their surroundings.

The tunnel they had fallen into was quite tall and wide; Arthur Weasley could have easily drove his beloved Red Rocket '87 through the tunnel and not scratched the sides against the icy walls. The floor was covered in slick spots and droplets of water fell down upon their head from the leaky roof. Directly above them was a wide hole that led to the level they'd been standing in moments ago. Of course, any hope of climbing back up were banished with the knowledge that even standing on each other's shoulders they would never be able to reach the hole's lip.

Draco had his dex out and the light it cast was reflected off the icy walls, making the tunnel brighter than it should have been. Ron could see that Draco was relatively unscathed, save for some scuff marks on his jacket. The Slytherin noticed Ron's stares and snarling in frustration as he rubbed the front of his jacket; it was as if he thought by placing his hand on the damaged spot he could undo all the trauma.

"I'll have to remember to burn this jacket when my father gets me my new one," Draco said with a sniff. "Wouldn't want you digging through my trash to get it."

"I'd rather wear trash then wear something you'd put on, Malfoy."

Draco smirked. "That would explain that jacket."

Ron opened his mouth to let Draco have it, only to be silenced when he hear a high-pitched growl fill the air. Draco and him whipped around, their Pokeballs out as they gazed upon the intruders.

"A Cubchoo," Ron stated.

"And a Roggenrola," Draco added, sending out his Snivy. Scabbers shortly followed, the rat Pokémon shivering before turning to glare at Ron. "You might as well put that pathetic thing away and let me do all the work. I'm sure Hagrid won't mind if I catch two Pokémon."

"You're actually going to catch one?"

"You ever see another trainer at Hogwarts with either one of these?" Draco shot back.

Ron shrugged; honestly, he hadn't paid any attention and didn't know if any of the upper classmen had a Cubchoo or a Roggenrola. He didn't matter to him, as he was just desperate to have a new partner... one that actually obeyed him.

"Scabbers," Ron said, kneeling down before his Pokémon. "Let's make a deal, ok? You are getting tired of coming out of your ball and having to perform stupid training assignments, right?" The Raticate's nose twitched as he nodded. "Help me capture a new Pokémon and I'll let them take your place as my main Pokémon."

"Raticate!" Scabbers declared turning towards the two wild Pokémon and pawing at the ground.

"Vine Whip!"

"Bite!"

Draco and Ron's Pokémon launched themselves forward, striking the wild Pokémon before they could even launch an attack of their own. Snivy easily struck Roggenrola, the rock Pokémon letting out a cry as the grass snake followed up its attack with a Dragon Tail. Ron and Scabbers stuck to Bite attacks, wounding Cubchoo even as it used Powder Snow to try and freeze Scabbers. The two wild Pokémon fought hard but there was no real pattern or strategy to their moves; they might as well have been lashing out blind.

"Hey, careful there Weasley!" Draco snapped, pulling out a Great Ball his mother had sent him. "I know you are enjoying an actual victory but this is going to be the last time you get in a shot at my Cubchoo."

"You want this one?" Ron said in surprise.

"What, you thought I wanted the rock one?"

"Well... yeah!" Ron grinned and pulled out a Pokeball, cupping it in his hand. "Alright, move out of the way while I get my Roggenrola!"

Draco frowned, considering what Ron had said. The Cubchoo had been his first choice, but was it the right one? Roggenrolla evolved twice, was rather strong, and unlike the Cubchoo wasn't weak against fire types. With the Gryffindors always seeming to get at least one fire-breathing Pokémon, Draco knew he would need something to counter that type. He could see this Roggenrolla taking out whatever pathetic fire-type Potter managed to catch, lashing out and striking the bespectacled boy and the Pokémon until both were unconscious at his feet.

Besides... Flint Marcus had a Graveler and was considered the leader of the Slytherins... a fully evolved Gigalith would trump his sad little Graveler. Of course Draco would need to trade it, since Gigalith could only evolve after absorbing the energy that was given off from a Pokémon transfer... but he was sure he could find someone he trusted to trade it to then give it back to him... right?

"Sorry, Weasley, but that Roggenrolla is mine!" Draco threw out his Great Ball, grinning as the red beam of energy shot out and pulled the rock-type into the ball.

Wobble... wobble...wobble...click!

"Yeah!" Draco cried out, grabbing the ball and holding it up in the air. "Yeah, that's right Weasley, I-"

Wobble...wobble...wobble...click!

"Thanks Scabbers," Ron said, recalling the rat Pokémon before calling forth Cubchoo from the IceMelter ball he'd thrown. Cubchoo had tried to freeze the Pokeball before it could get him, but the IceMelter's special ability had activated, melting the ice and delivering a nice heat blast that dazed Cubchoo and let Ron capture it.

The little bear sniffed, his running nose dripping frigid fluid on the ground as Ron pulled a potion from his pack and gave it to the ice-type. "Welcome to the team, Cubby!"

Draco wondered for the briefest of moments if Ron had pulled a fast one on him, using reverse psychology to trick him into picking a Pokémon Ron actually didn't want.

Then he saw the red head laugh in disgust as Cubchoo blew bubbles with its mucus.

Draco gripped his new Roggenrolla's ball a bit tighter, mentally telling himself that the noble Gigalith that he'd one day have was better than the dripping, sniffing bear the red-headed runt was cuddling.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Hagrid... Hagrid..."

"Oh..." Hagrid grounded, slowly sitting up. He rubbed his forehead, wondering just what had been in that beer that could have knocked him out like that. He looked down and saw Harry standing there and the memories of what had happened came rushing back to the giant.

"Blimey... that was a rough one, wasn't it?"

"Uh huh," Harry said, looking around nervously. The tunnel they found themselves wasn't covered in ice and the floor actually felt rather warm to the touch, or warm when compared to the frost-covered tunnel they'd fallen out of. "I looked at my dex and it said we are on the 5th floor."

"Bloody 'ell," Hagrid grunted, standing up and massaging his sore lower back. "That ain't good. Level 5 is reserved for Professors and a few 6th years that score 'igh enough on their exams!" He clapped his hands and Norbert trotted over to him, the little dragon having been playing with some rocks while he waited for his trainer to awaken. "Come on now, 'arry, I got an escape rope in me bag and we can-"

"Hagrid, wait!" Harry cried out. When the giant looked at him Harry blushed. "Could we... just look around a bit?"

"Look around? 'arry, it's dangerous to be on this floor!"

"I know but..." Harry sighed. "If we go to the entrance now via the Escape Rope I won't get a chance to go after any Pokémon. I know we need to get back with the others but... can't we just walk around for a few minutes? I promise if we run into anything you don't think I can handle we can use the Escape Rope."

Hagrid rubbed his chin. "Well... I suppose it wouldn't 'urt ta walk around a bit." Harry grinned as Hagrid reached down, plucking the boy up and placing him on his shoulders. The tunnel was high enough that Harry could have reached up and still not grazed the lowest hanging stalactite. Norbert chirped and began to crawl up Hagrid's pant leg, the large man not even flinching as the baby dragon's claws dug into his skin. "Did I ever tell ya about the time back in me 1st year that me and a few other Gryffindors decided to sneak down to the lake to try and catch the giant Tentacruel?"

Harry clung to Hagrid's head, a dopey smile on his face as the first adult that had ever shown any interest in him told him stories about his boyhood. Never before had Harry gotten to ride on someone's shoulders and now that he finally got to experience what so many children took for granted... the smile simply wouldn't leave his face.

"And by the time we got 'im away 'e was..." Hagrid trailed off.

"Hagrid?" Harry said, confused by the pause in the story and wanting to know what happened to Hagrid's dormmate.

"Shhh!" Hagrid whispered. Harry realized that even Norbert had grown quiet and all he could hear was the drip-drip-drip of melting ice running down from the upper levels.

Then he heard the scream.

Hagrid rushed forward, Harry clinging to the giant's head, Norbert letting out a squawk of protest as his trainer raced through the tunnel. Harry cowered down; fearful he'd be bucked from the man's shoulders. Hagrid was panting, his long legs covering yards within seconds as he rounded a bend. Then, just as quickly as they had started, they stopped dead and Harry was nearly pitched forward. He looked up from Hagrid's wild, untamed hair and gasped.

This section of the tunnel they'd happened upon was covered in blood and the smell left Harry gagging. Hagrid shuddered as he looked upon the carnage, his shoulders trembling as he sighted the source of the crimson liquid that coated the tunnel. Two Togekisses had been torn apart, their eyes glassy in death. They had come to the Ice Cavern's lowest depth to hibernate during the winter, only to find death and pain instead of warmth and safety. Harry sat dumbly on Hagrid's shoulders, his entire body frozen at the slaughter that lay before him. Never had he seen something so vicious and brutal. Ancient instincts that had laid dormant since the first human had descended from the trees told Harry that this was not normal. This was not two Pokémon being caught by a predator; no, this had been a butchery for butchery's sake.

The boy could be excused for nearly missing the figure that was crouched in the corner, rocking back and forth. He was draped in shadows and when compared to the scarlet horror that took center stage in the middle of the tunnel, he with his drab black cloak was hardly eye-catching. It was only when he looked up, revealing glowing green eyes that seemed to hold all the malice and insanity in the world, that he was spotted.

Harry had seen those eyes long ago.

"You..." Harry whispered, his mind traveling back years and years to a soft, warm place… a voice he remembered well… then screaming and death-

It was as if some spell had been broken. The figure leapt to his feet and darted out of the tunnel as if the Houndooms of death were on his heels. Hagrid took several steps forward but realized he would never be able to catch the cloaked figure... and he had more pressing matters to attend too.

"'arry..." Hagrid said, setting the boy on solid ground. Harry just kept staring at where the mystery man had been. "'arry, we need to go... we need ta tell Prof. Dumbledore-"

Harry walked towards the bloody scene.

"'arry!" Hagrid shouted, trying to grasp the boy's shoulder, only for Harry to slip from his hold. Harry darted forward, never even looking at the dead Togekisses. His attention was on the spot where the cloaked man had crouched. He called forth Ludwig, the ghost Pokémon's flame illuminating the corner, chasing the shadows away and revealing the horrible aftermath.

"Togi?"

"Bloody 'ell," Hagrid murmured, looking at the little, frightened Pokémon that sat in the torn-apart remains of a nest. "A Togepi." The baby Pokémon was crying, looking about in confusion, sniffing and trembling.

Harry didn't hear Hagrid's curse; his brain was too busy making horrible connections. Two sets of parents brutally and senselessly murdered. Their children abandoned, made orphans by the sick acts of madmen. Both destined to face a cold, cruel world alone.

No... not this time.

Hagrid found his ability to speak removed when he saw Harry pull out a Pokeball.

"I swear," Harry whispered, holding the Pokeball out to the crying Togepi even as his Eevee chose that moment to pop out of his pokéball and join Ludwig in watching, both sensing what was happening, "no matter how scared you are... you'll never be alone."

"To...togi?" the baby Pokémon murmured, looking at the ball then at Harry.

"And I swear to you... even if it takes me all my life... your parents will be avenged."

At that moment, as the Togepi reached out and allowed itself to be captured by the boy, Hagrid was struck with a vision of the man this boy would become. Fierce, loyal, strong, noble. A beacon of hope and a symbol to all those that had suffered loss. He would be their champion, their hero...

A knight of Avalon.

"Ok, Hagrid," Harry said softly as he stood up, unshed tears in his eyes, "we can go now."

* * *

Author's Notes: Things just interesting, didn't they?

I chose Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Draco's pokemon careful, as I wanted each to represent something about them. Neville's Snover was suggested by a reader after I stated Neville will be a grass-type user. Snover also evolves into a cool, strong pokemon... just as Neville grows up into a strong, cool hero. Hermione's Snorunt (which is female) will be able to evolve into Froslass, which continues the trend of Hermione having silly Pokemon that become graceful, powerful pokemon. it also gives her a nice ghost type too. Ron's Cubchoo is pretty disgusting when you think about it... but Beartic is a pretty cool ice type, strong and fierce.

Draco gets Roggenrolla... well, I covered much of my reasoning in the chapter itself.

Harry and Togepi. I needed to find something to replace the unicorn. It would have been easy to do a Ponyta or something, but then I thought about how unicorns represent innocence and purity in Harry's world... and Togepi and its evolutions fit that bill. Once I began down that route, the idea to deal with another baby orphaned... and Harry deciding to change Togepi's fate... seemed too good not to do.

'Tales from Avalon' will begin soon and I want you guys' opinion on what should be the first story:

-The Little Girl from Surrey: The tale of Lily getting her Torchic from Ollivander (leaning towards this one)

-Brothers: James and Sirius' first meeting and the friendship that would alter their lives forever.

-The First Day is Always the Hardest: Albus Dumbledore's first day as a teacher at Hogwarts

-A Sound of Thunder: Telling of how Kanto's (and Lance's) actions in Violet City 5 years earlier would lead to The Johto/Kanto War

If you have suggestions for a side story, let me know in the reviews or via PM.

We are nearing the end, folks! It is almost time to venture to the 3rd floor. Are you ready?


	18. Into the Abyss

Harry held out his hand, smiling slightly when Togepi grasped his index finger in her little hands and held onto like a child might a teddy bear. He wished that she would favor him with a smile but knew that it was too soon to hope for that. Togepi hadn't smiled once since Harry had captured her; she didn't seem upset or scared and depressed... it was as if the ability to smile and laugh had been erased from her brain. It left her a solemn little thing. She still needed cuddles and hugs and was drawn to him for warmth and care… but as of yet she hadn't responded with a giggle or a happy chirp.

"She is looking very healthy, Harry," McGonagall said as Poppy checked the little Pokémon over. It had been two months since Harry and his friends had gone to the Ice Cavern. Once all of them had made it back to the Lapras Hagrid had quickly gathered them up and made a mad dash back to the school. He must have made an SOS call because waiting for them at the docks were all the heads of house and Prof. Dumbledore himself. Ron, Hermione, Neville and Draco were ushered back to their dorms by Flitwick and Sprout, while Poppy, upon spotting the Togepi in Harry's arms, had whisked him and his team to the infirmary. Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall had stayed with Hagrid, though McGonagall had visited Harry after her talk with the giant, expressing interest in the Togepi.

Memories of her and Snape sneaking around filled Harry's head and he moved a bit closer to Poppy, wanting to have a better chance at grabbing Togepi if his head of house tried to snatch her. He wouldn't put it past her to try and make a move for the little baby Pokémon, what with the way she was staring at her.

"Indeed, a very healthy Pokémon," Poppy stated happily, running her index finger along the Pokémon's pointy crown. With any other Togepi this would have garnered giggles and squeals; with Harry's it merely had the little girl looking towards her trainer, wanting to make sure he was close by. "Does she still pop out of her ball?"

Harry nodded. When Poppy had first examined Togepi she had downloaded to his dex some instructional guides that explained what one could expect raising a baby Pokémon. It was very rare for a first year to end up with one (most breeding families would even give their children the baby's first evolved form, to let them get use to the type, before trusting them with a baby) and it had taken a lot of convincing to get the professors to let him keep her. In the end they had agreed, but only after ensuring Harry had everything he would need to raise her properly.

Togepi was barely a few weeks old when her parents had been killed and that, combined with the trauma of seeing their deaths, meant that she needed a lot of attention and care. The guides had explained that it wasn't uncommon for baby Pokémon to refuse to go into their pokeballs, wanting instead to be with their trainer. Togepi had proven this belief true, constantly popping out of her ball during class or in the middle of the night, crying out for comfort. Luckily for Harry, all the teachers had understood and given him some leeway when it came to his newest Pokémon. The worst was Snape, but even he managed to stick to snide comments instead of deducting points. Harry had the sneaking suspicion that his co-conspiritor McGonagall had told him to play nice.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much," Poppy stated, selecting a berry sucker from a jar on the counter and handing it to Togepi. The little Pokémon licked her treat, obviously enjoying it even if she wasn't smiling.

"It is so strange to see a Togepi so quiet," McGonagall stated as Poppy placed Togepi in Harry's lap. The boy hugged his Pokémon; if the professor noticed that he was shielding Togepi from her, she didn't comment. "It's clear she loves you... I wouldn't be surprised if she's evolved by this time next year. Still... to never see her smile..."

"Poor thing went through a trauma," Poppy said, shaking her head. "Minerva, has Albus been able to figure out why the Togekisses were attacked?"

McGonagall shook her head, Harry and Togepi seemingly forgotten as the adults discussed the strange crime. "No, and neither have I. Togekisses are rare, of course, but not that rare. A Squirtle or a Turtwig would be harder to find; you'd have to find a breeder and scrounge up the funds to purchase one. We know Togekisses flock to this area and 3 years ago a 7th year managed to catch one during the Year End Hunt."

Harry hugged Togepi closer. McGonagall's words had echoed his own thoughts. They'd learned about different careers ones could take on after graduating from Hogwarts; there were gym leaders, of course, but plenty of other jobs one could select. There were professors and researchers, much like Prof. Dumbledore and the rest of the class. Prof. Sprout had brought up famous Pokémon trackers like Jack Kenway and Alder Stonefist, who made it their life's work to seek out new Pokémon and investigate rumors and legends about mythical Pokémon. While the Jennys, Joys and Josephs dominated the fields of law enforcement, nursing, and banking, there were plenty of positions within those fields for those that were interested. Ron had brought up that his brother Bill worked for the Josephs as a Ranger; he sought out those that skipped out on bills and brought them back to the bank for a bounty. There were Pokémon Coordinators and Connoisseurs as well as positions within the Government, working for the Elite Four. Of course, there were also Pokeball makers and Potion Masters, though why someone would want to follow in Snape's footsteps Harry would never know.

The job that had interested Harry the most had been Breeder. McGonagall and Sprout had both covered Breeders in their classes. While 90% of Pokémon were caught in the wild, there were certain ones that, due to their rarity, were raised exclusively by Breeders. Ron's dad raised Ratattas and sold them overseas to schools that wanted good, easy Pokémon for their students to start with. Draco brought up quite often how the Malfoys had been raising Snivys for centuries, having been the first family to bring them from Unova to Sinnoh before immigrating to Avalon. Neville, while already destined to be a Gym Leader, would also be a Breeder, taking over the Bulbasaur farm his gran currently ran when he was of age. Even the Potters had been Breeders, making their money off of their Cyndaquills before all the adult Typlosions had mysteriously disappeared after Voldemort's rise to power.

While Togekisses weren't incredibly rare they weren't common either. A trainer who caught a mated pair could live quite comfortably selling off the eggs. The fact that the Togekisses that had been killed already had a Togepi would have allowed the cloaked-man to sell off the baby to get seed money to start his breeding job.

But instead of doing that, he'd killed them. Brutally. Without seemingly any reason at all.

Why had he done it? What did he gain from murdering the peaceful creatures?

These thoughts consumed Harry as he walked back to his dorm.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Guys!" Hermione cried out, rushing over to the table, Ralts fast on her heels.

It was April and the snow that had blanketed much of northern Avalon was finally receding. Life had tried to go back to normal for the four friends, what with studies, Gauntlet training and raising their Pokémon, but Hermione's desire to leave no question unanswered or Harry's deep-rooted fear that the events of the last few months were merely the calm before the storm meant that this was not to be. Ron and Neville might have given up and turned their attention to other things, but Hermione and Harry had remained steadfast in their desire to learn the truth.

"What is it, Hermione?" Neville asked, feeding Flora a bit of honey-coated bread. She had grown quite a bit since the start of the year and there was some speculation that she would evolve within the next six months. Neville wasn't for sure if he should be thrilled that he was raising a strong Pokémon or saddened that Flora would soon be too big to carry around. While he did have Snover it just wasn't the same as Flora, who had been his best friend since she'd hatched from her egg. Thus he had decided to baby her as much as he could… while he still had the time.

"I-" Hermione paused, looking around anxiously before continuing, her voice dropping to a whisper, "-I figured out why Snape killed those Togekisses."

Harry was glad that for once Togepi was staying in her ball. He didn't want her hearing about this. Eevee, who was taking his turn getting lunch, looking up from the meaty kibble Harry had gotten him, the brown Pokémon's big eyes blinking as he waited for Hermione to elaborate.

Hermione reached down and lifted Ralts up, placing her on the table next to Cubchoo, who was happily slobbering all over a Popsicle. "I've been keeping an eye out on what books Prof. Snape checks out from the library-"

"Who the heck still checks out books?" Ron asked, brow scrunched up. "I didn't even know books still existed."

Hermione merely glared at him, fighting the desire to smack him across the back of the head. "Anyway... I managed to hack into the school's library system and figure out what books he's been checking out. I set up an alert for when he returned them so I could get to them before anyone else."

"How about hacking into Snape's laptop and giving me an A in potions?" Ron asked with a smirk.

Ignoring him, Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a thick tome that looked like it had been made back when Shieldon roamed the land. "He checked this book out this morning only to return three hours later."

Harry twisted the book around so he could read the title. "'Debunking the Mythos Surrounding Pokémon'. Huh."

"Yeah... I might actually read it after this is all over," Hermione said with a slight smile. "I saw there is a chapter about Alakazams and their IQs and why people believed they were so intelligent when in fact..." Seeing that the boys were staring at her like she'd suddenly turned into an Alakazam herself, Hermione coughed and got back on track. "It might have taken me a while to find this but luckily for us Prof. Snape was in such a hurry he left this in the book."

"Hey, my Potions homework!" Ron said happily, snatching the paper from Hermione. He looked over the paper and grinned, smacking the sheet with his hand. "And look at that score!"

"Ron, that's a D," Harry said.

"Yeah!" Ron said, beaming.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The important thing is what this page was marking." Hermione flipped to the correct passage and began to read. "_The Togekiss is a recent discovery for most regions, even though it has been a subject of legend for many years. The use of a Shiny Stone (see 'Evolution Stones: Gifts From The Gods?', page 153) allows a trainer to replica the Rite of Passage all Togetics take in the wild in order to evolve to their final form."_

"Good thing too," Ron stated with a shudder, "Togetics are ugly as sin!"

The bushy-haired girl glared at her friend. "Can I continue?" When Ron sheepishly nodded Hermione returned to the passage. "_Due to their nature and their ability to calm even the most powerful and dangerous of Pokémon, the mystical abilities of the Togekiss became matters of myth for the ancients. Even with their discovery there were rumblings that the heart of a Togekiss..." __Hermione stopped, clearly upset__._

"Hermione?" Neville said softly. "What is it?"

_"...the heart of a Togekiss was the long fabled final ingredient needed to complete the Master Ball."_

The three boys grew quiet as they in unison turned to stare at the staff table, their eyes drifting towards Prof. Snape. The Potion Master was hacking into his lunch like it had gravely offended him, knife and fork ripping through the meal. Harry's hand reached out and touched Togepi's ball, reassuring himself that the baby was still safe and sound.

"You... you think that means he's made the Master Ball?" Neville asked.

"No," Hermione stated. "There is more."

"I don't think I can handle more," Ron moaned, looking a bit green around the gills. Cubchoo patted him on the head.

"You need to hear this," Hermione stated. _"This belief is, of course, pure fabrication. Scientific studies have proven that only acorns can be used to create pokeballs, as the living cells of Pokémon or humans cannot handle the physical charge needed to achieve a capture beam. X-rays of Togekiss hearts have proven that they are entirely organic animal cells. Thus the myth that these gentle creatures are the source of the most powerful pokéball is simply that: myth." _

"Those poor Togekisses," Neville said sadly, stroking Flora's head.

"So he did it all for nothing?" Ron asked, dragging Cubchoo over and scratching him between the ears.

Hermione nodded, though her face had gone a bit pale. "Yes... and I'm afraid that his failure is going to make him drastic. He must have been studying the Togekiss hearts for a while, trying to figure out how to make them into pokéballs and only now learned that it isn't possible. That means there is only one avenue left for him."

"Whatever is hidden on the 3rd floor," Harry stated.

"Yes. I-" Hermione leaned in close, the boys straining to hear her over the din of the Great Hall. "I think he is going to make his next attempt soon... maybe even tonight. We have to warn Prof. Dumbledore."

"He still won't believe us," Ron pointed out. "Snape and McGonagall have done nothing to make him doubt them."

"But we have proof!" Neville argued.

Harry shook his head. "We have a few comments in a book, some things Hagrid said which he will deny saying, and our belief that Snape is guilty. Prof. Dumbledore will ask Snape why we would focus in on him, he'll make up some story about how we are always causing problems in his class-"

"-because he favors those bloody Sytherlins," Ron growled.

"-and Dumbledore will dismiss our worries. Meanwhile, McGonagall will go after the ball... they might even pin it on us!"

"Then what do we do?" Hermione asked.

Harry's green eyes, normally so bright and cheerful, became hard like steel. "We beat them to the punch."

"What?" Neville and Ron said as the same time.

"We steal the Master Ball ourselves."

The mere mention of doing something against the law caused Hermione to feel a wave a panic roll down her spine like ice water. "W-what?"

"It's the only way," Harry reasoned. He looked at each of his friends, holding their gaze and forcing them to truly look at him and see just how serious he was. "Snape and McGonagall have already tried to kill me twice and they succeeded in killing Togepi's parents. If they get a hold of the Master Ball they could reverse engineer it and create millions of them. Can you honestly imagine a world where Snape could catch and control any Pokémon he wanted?"

They all shivered at that thought. It was easy for their young brains to envision the dreaded Head of Slytherin leading an army of Gyrados and Onix on a charge through Avalon, leaving death and destruction in his wake. While Hermione held out hope they were wrong about Prof. McGonagall the evidence was simply too damning and visions of her being drawn in a carriage pulled by vicious Mightyenas flashing through her mind.

"And what if the Master Ball really can capture any Pokémon? Not just wild ones but ones caught by trainers?" Harry asked, looking down at Eevee. "Are you willing to see your Pokémon enslaved?"

Hermione hugged Ralts tight while Neville held Flora closer. Ron pulled Cubchoo onto his lap, as if afraid McGonagall would snatch him away at any moment.

"We have to do this," Harry said sternly. "We have to steal the Master Ball tonight."

"But... but what do we do after that?" Hermione asked.

"I've always wanted a Zapados..." Ron said with a slight grin.

"No," Harry said sternly. "No one can be trusted with the Master Ball, not even us. We have to destroy it."

Ron frowned at that. "And how do you plan to do that? The Master Ball is this super-duper mega-powerful ball. I doubt dropping it in the toilet will short-circuit it."

"I don't care if we have to throw it into the fires of some mountain of doom... the Master Ball must be destroyed." He stood up, his lunch half eaten; food simply held no appeal for him. He knew what needed to be done and the drive and fire within his chest saw him casting aside all other things. Eevee leapt onto his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek. "I am going after it... if you want to join me, meet me in the trophy room 30 minutes after curfew."

"Harry!" Hermione called out as Harry strode out of the Great Hall. The girl turned back to her friends once Harry was out of sight. "How do we stop him?"

Ron reached over and grabbed Harry's pudding; it was silly to let food go to waste. "I am going to help him. Harry's my mate and I am not going to let him face this alone." Cubchoo nodded in agreement, rubbing his runny nose.

Neville looked down at Flora, the Bulbasaur letting out a bark of annoyance that Neville wasn't speaking up quick enough. "The Longbottoms and the Potters have stood side by side for generations. In a perfect world... Harry and I would have been raised as brothers." He looked back up and Hermione was shocked by what she saw in his eyes. Much as Hagrid had seen months earlier in Harry, Hermione saw the man Neville would become: strong, loyal, brave. This was not the shy, chubby boy that she'd befriended on the train... no, this Neville was one who proved to the world that Slowking had been right to place him in Gryffindor.

Glancing over at Ron and seeing the determination on his face Hermione knew what her answer was going to be. When one kept the company of such determined people, what else could you do but nod and plunge into the abyss?

* * *

Author's Notes: And thus we move into the final act. This chapter was all about setting the stage and getting people to understand where all the characters are coming from and why they are doing what they are doing. To see justice done. To renew broken bonds of brotherhood. To strength new bonds. Giving in to do the right thing... even if it seems to be the wrong thing.

I am currently finishing the final chapter of this book as we speak (I like to get ahead of the game when it comes to writing these) and then will take a short break to write a few pieces for Tales From Avalon before jumping into 'Chamber of the Unown'.

Review comments:

-A lot of people have suggested Hermione get a feebas. That pokemon has been earmarked for Fleur... or, more correctly, its evolution will be Fleur's.


	19. Through the Trap Door

Getting into the trophy room was much easier with Ludwig there to help them out. The last time had involved careful timing and stealth that, frankly, none save Harry and Neville had. But this time had been different. The four trainers were able to slip past Filch without having to worry about him or Mrs. Norris spotting them. Ludwig's ghost light allowed them to see in the dark without revealing to anyone that they were walking about. They just needed to be careful where they stepped and make sure they didn't let their footfalls ring out too loudly in the empty hallways.

Slipping through the trap door, they landed once more on Tiny who remained blissfully asleep and unaware of their intrusion. They had been prepared to try and get the Pokemon to shift off the trap door but they found Tiny slumbering in the corner, pointed towards the door but not on it. Though they had no intention of opening the door and thus starting up the pokeflute, the foursome made sure to stay as far away as they could from the door, lest they tempt fate.

"No one say anything," Ron warned.

"What do you mean?" Neville asked as he opened the trap door. Harry leaned down, Ludwig casting enough light to reveal that the next room didn't contain any visible surprises. Carefully swinging his legs into the hole, Harry dropped down.

"Whoa!" Harry called out.

"You ok, mate?" Ron called down.

"Fine! Just startled. Its ok, come on down."

Hermione turned to Ron. "What did you mean, no one say anything?"

"I don't want to jinx us," Ron said. "If someone says anything about this being the opposite of difficult it will jinx us and it will suddenly get impossible. So just stay nice and quiet and don't any comments of the difficulty of the situation we are now in."

"Are you kidding?" Hermione complained. "That's nothing more than superstition."

"I'd rather have luck be on our side then tempt it to switch over," Ron said as he followed Harry into the room below.

Hermione shook her head, easing herself through the trap door, Neville and Flora only seconds behind her. Harry already had Ludwig sending out Will-O-Wips to light up the darkness and the four Gryffindors were able to get a good look at this new room. It was about the same size as Tiny's room though the ceiling was closer to the ground than it had been in Tiny's enclosure. The walls, ceiling and floor were not made of stone however, but of a rubbery substance that felt springy to the touch. Neville yelped as he bounced up, landing on his rear and bouncing several more times before settling down. Hermione walked over to one of the walls and pressed her hand against it, watching as it pressed inward until the pressure was too much and the material snapped back into place, sending Hermione sprawling on the floor as well.

"I don't get it," Ron said, bouncing a few times. "I mean, this is fun and all, but why guard this?"

"Maybe Prof. Dumbledore likes bouncy castles and doesn't want anyone to know?" Neville offered.

"I don't think this is the final stop," Harry said, moving the opposite corner of the room. There, lying at his feet, was another trap door. He reached down and tugged, only to find that it would not budge. "I think it's stuck!"

Hermione bounced over and frowned. "No... look, there is a lock here." She pointed to three small bolts that were sitting flush in the door. "I think it is an autolock."

"How do we unlock it?" Harry asked.

"There must be some kind of lever or knob or button-"

Ludwig let out a cry, his flames lighting up the opposite corner of the room in time for the trainer to see a side door open from which 20 pink little ball-like Pokémon emerge, the green leaves on top of their head twitching as they happily bounced around them, chattering away. Flora snapped her beak at a few that got too close for comfort. The Pokémon were all smiles as they bounced around the Gryffindors, chittering away as they springing around the room.

Hermione took out her dex and though it took a few moments for her to get a good aim at one of the happily little Pokémon, managed to finally scan one.

'_Hoppip- The Wind Swept Pokémon. Due to their light-weight bodies these Pokémon can be blown away by even the mildest of breezes'_

"I don't get any of this!" Ron proclaimed, shoving away one Hoppip that had bounced onto his head and began nuzzling him. Just as he got rid of one, another leapt up and latched itself to his chest. "What is with all these-"

"Look!" Harry exclaimed, waving for his friends to join him. Another panel had opened, revealing a small hole roughly 1.5x the size of the Hoppip. "I think they are supposed to go in here!" He grabbed the one that was clinging to Ron and gently placed it inside. There was a whirl and a click by the trap door… but nothing happened. "Or not," Harry muttered in annoyance, allowing the Hoppip to join its friends.

"I don't think all of them are supposed to go in there," Neville said, gesturing to the bouncing Hoppip. "Look at that one." In the middle of the Hoppip swarm there was a single Pokémon that was a bright green instead of berry pink. "That's a shiny Hoppip! I bet it is supposed to go in this hole."

"Grab it!" Harry shouted, bouncing towards the swarm.

"WAIT!" Hermione called out but it was too late. The moment Harry leapt forward he created a small gust of air that, while too weak to be felt by the trainers, was more than enough to send the Hoppips scattering across the room. They struck the walls and rocketed around, hitting the kids and sending them tumbling about the bouncy room. "Harry, stop! Every time you move you send them bouncing all over!"

"Well, we have to get the shiny one somehow!" Harry complained, grabbing a normal Hoppip and tossing it to Ron, the red-head moaning as this one also latched onto him and began to nuzzle him.

"Why me?" Ron complained. "Why do they love me?"

"I think it's your hair," Hermione said, trying to trap the shiny Hoppip. However, every time she took a step it would create enough movement in the air to send it bouncing away. "I read somewhere that Hoppips are attracted to the colors orange and red."

"Lucky me," Ron muttered.

"Wait, that's it!" Neville exclaimed, darting towards the cloud of Hoppips and sending them scattering.

"Neville, stop!" Hermione complained. "You can't catch them!"

"I don't want to!" the boy happily told her, shooing the Hoppips away. "Look!"

Ron was screaming in frustration as the Hoppips grabbed onto his arms and legs, hugging him tight and cooing in delight as they hugged him. The Gryffindor was trying his hardest to free himself but every time he got rid of one Hoppip it seemed as if three more took its place. One let out a squeal and jumped onto his face, clinging to the boy and ignoring his muffled cries. Ron toppled over and the Hoppip bounced off, only for more to bound over and begin enveloping him.

"Wait… wait…" Neville said, holding out his hand. Harry and Hermione watched as the shiny Hoppip floated over and landed on Ron's foot, cuddling against his shoe before grabbing on. "NOW!"

They rushed over, the Hoppips holding on tight to Ron and thus not floating away as the three trainers joined the swarm. Harry grabbed the green Hoppip and hurriedly shoved it into the hole. The little Pokémon actually waved goodbye before it was recalled by the hidden pokéball inside.

There was a click and the rubber walls retracted, revealing more pokeballs that quickly recalled the other Hoppips, leaving a panting Ron lying next to the trap door that was now open.

"Good going Ron!" harry said with a grin.

"Huh?" the boy said in a daze, only for Harry and Neville to help him up, patting him on the back.

"This makes no sense," Hermione muttered as Harry and Neville worked to open the trap door.

"What doesn't make sense, Hermione?" Harry asked, pulling the door open.

"If Prof. Dumbledore is trying to protect the Master Ball, why use traps like these? Why not use locks and gates and lasers? Why use shiny Pokémon and flutes?"

"Did all that stuff work for the Pokébank?" Harry asked.

"Don't stress out," Ron said with a grin as he pulled open the trap door. "I'd rather it be too easy than too hard."

"That's my point though," Hermione said, "it should be hard."

"Don't look a gift Ponyta in the mouth," Ron complained as dropped down through the trap door. "Yeehaaww!"

This cry of joy was cut off by a pain-filled curse seconds later. Apparently jinxes were real.

"Ron!" Harry cried out, Ludwig swinging around to cast his light into the dark room below. The three friends gaped at the floor; it was the same distance as it was with the last trap door, only there was no Snorlax or bouncing floor to break the fall. "Ron, are you ok?"

"I'm fine!" Ron said, clearly in pain. "Think I twisted my ankle or something."

"Ron, you probably broke your ankle!" Hermione complained. "What were you thinking, jumping down like that?"

"I wasn't, ok? Just let it go and get down here, would ya?"

Neville gulped, looking down at Ron's form. "I like my bones how they are, guys."

"I could run back and get some rope," Harry offered.

Flora let out a grunt and fired offer two vines, each twisting around and around until they braided together into something sturdy enough to allow the kids to climb down. Neville was the last one to slide down, fearing that all of the weight they were putting on the vines would hurt his Bulbasaur. Flora, however, didn't seem concerned; she merely grunted and braced her legs each time one of them ambled down.

"Return," Neville said, recalling Flora, only to let her out seconds later. "Good girl," he said with a smile, the Bulbasaur trotting around the room, looking it over. It was quite large and open, with no tables or chairs or any other decor around. The walls were covered in mirrored glass, making it look as if the room went on for eternity. A low light came from the strange tiles on the floor, the pale blue glow casting strange shadows about them.

"Return," Harry echoed, calling back Ludwig, realizing that his Pokémon's flames were not needed.

"What do you think this is all about?" Hermione asked, staring down at the odd tiles.

Ron, who was rubbing his sore ankle, shrugged. "No bloody idea."

"Language!" Hermione gasped, practically scandalized by the curse.

"Bulba!" Flora said, stopping on one of the tiles and poking it. She looked up, staring at Neville in confusion... before being teleported way.

"FLORA!" Neville shouted racing to the now swirling blue tile his Pokémon had been standing on.

"Neville no!" Hermione cried out. It was too late though; Neville stepped onto the tile and with a yelp was warped away. "No one move!" Hermione shouted, grabbing onto Harry and the still prone Ron before they could dart forward. "They are teleporters!"

The kids stared at the floor in shock, watching as the one tile Flora and Nevile had been standing on continued to swirl. The light was different but all three of them now recognized the tile, having used it plenty of times to get to their dorm. The tiles around the now active one were glowing brighter than before and Hermione, deciding to test a theory, tossed a scrap piece of paper onto one of the now brighter tiles. It too flared and activated the tale-tell whirl.

"It's a pressure trigger. Step on it once and you prime in. Step on it again or linger too longer and it activates. We can't touch the same tile twice. Stay on it too long… and it activates all the same."

"What... what does that mean?" Ron asked nervously, glancing at the tile they were standing on. Unlike the other tiles it glowed a pale green. "We've been standing on this one for a while and haven't been warped away."

Hermione took out a pencil and began to walk around the edge of the large center tile they were standing on. She tapped each tile she crossed paths with, causing them to light up. Blue light filled the dark mirror room, giving off alien reflections that startled the trainers when they glanced at them. Ron and Harry watched their other-worldly mirror selves while Hermione continued to walk around the tile, smiling when she came across one that glowed green like the one they were held up on.

"Alright... if I am wrong I hope you guys think of a better plan."

"Hermione!" Harry cried out as the girl stepped onto the green tile. They waited for her to warp away, only to let out a sigh of relief when she remained there, a satisfied smile on her face. "I don't get it, what did you-"

"It's a maze!" Hermione said happily, tapping the tiles around the one she was now standing on, finding the next green one and taking another step forward. She did this to more times, then gestured behind her at the glowing green path she had made. "There is only one safe way out of this room... we just have to follow the green tiles and not step on the blue ones!"

Harry stood up, Ron's arm draped over his shoulder as he helped the limping redhead to the green tile Hermione had vacated. "What happens if we stand on a blue tile? Where did Neville and Flora go to?"

"Maybe... maybe their dead," Ron whispered in fear.

"Prof. Dumbledore made these," Hermione said firmly. "He wouldn't make something that could endanger people. I bet the blue tiles warp you to a holding room where he can find you and talk to you."

"Which means we need to move quickly," Harry said firmly. "Once the Headmaster realizes that Neville wasn't alone he'll come down here to stop us. We have to get the Master Ball and hide it before then."

"But... but what happens after that?" Ron asked. "We'll still be in trouble, mate... we could be expelled!"

"There are more important things than school, Ron," Harry stated calmly.

"Come on, guys!" Hermione called out, already moving towards along the path. The tap of her pencil filled the air as she stabbed at the tiles, lighting them up and twisting her way around the room. "I think we are close!"

"Slow down Hermione!" Harry said, struggling to help Ron along. While his ankle wasn't broken it was very sore and the redhead let out whimpers of pain when he put too much pressure on it. "Hermione!"

Hermione turned around and glared at the boy. "Harry James Potter, you told me we had to go fast and that is what I am doing!"

"And she didn't want to come in the first place," Ron muttered under his breath, though not quiet enough to prevent Hermione from hearing.

"And you, Ronald Weasley," Hermione said, wheeling around to face them even as she stepped onto the next tile. "If you hadn't-"

"HERMIONE!" Harry and Ron cried out.

The girl looked down, eyes wide with panic when she saw the blue light swirling around her ankles. She only had time to look back at them in shock before she was warped away.

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed. "What happened?"

"I... I don't know," Harry said, staring at the last green square Hermione had been standing on. All around it where blue lights, not a single path visible for them to take. Almost every tile was now lit up in some way and Harry looked around desperately trying to figure out how they had managed to go down the wrong way. It clearly wasn't a maze, as there simply wasn't enough tiles not lit up to create alternate paths.

"Harry, look!" Ron cried out, pointing to the very first tile they'd landed on. It flashed green before activating, swirling around as the teleporter became function. The next one did the same, then the next, the speed at which they activated growing quicker as the path of green light was gobbled up. "MOVE!"

Harry half dragged Ron across the path, his need for speed warring with his desire to avoid accidently letting his foot touch one of the blue tiles. Ron kept looking over his shoulder, squawks of fear and protest issuing from his mouth. Harry, however, had no time to worry about this; just like with Dudley and the Gauntlet he was being chased and he was not focused on what was on his rear but what lay before him.

"Jump!" Harry shouted, Ron and him leaping for the last green tile. They fell on it hard just as it activated, their eyes burning as the green light suddenly overtook them. There was the familiar sensation of being yanked in the air, then they landed with a thud on a hard wooden floor. Ron rolled to his right, staring up at the ancient stone beams and arches that hung over their heads, his breath coming out in painful gasps as he gripped his injured ankle. Dim lightbulbs gave off muted light and they could hear the drip-drip-drip of water leaking from a pipe somewhere in the distance.

Harry propped himself up on his elbows, looking at the wide stone room. The companion teleport tile to the one that had brought them there was cold with not a drop of electricity running through it. Harry ran his fingers along it and realized that however they were getting out it would not be back the way they came. He looked around for an opening, be it doorway or window or another trapdoor, but found nothing of the sort. Just solid stone.

"Ron," Harry said, pointing to their right. "Look!"

"Bloody hell," Ron murmured, staring at the object that had caught Harry's attention. "What is the Mirror of Jirachi doing here? Where's the Master Ball?"

"That... is what I'd like to know," Prof. Quirrell said as he stepped out of the shadows.

* * *

Author's Notes: When I began setting up the traps for this chapter I waffled between using the ones from the book or creating my own. Some even suggested Tangla being a devil snare... something I had considered in my pre-writing notes. On the other hand, with everything I've done to change events I thought it might be fun to make the traps and challenges different.

However, when it came time to write this I decided to take a bit from each column. There are elements of the book traps (trying to catch one particular item, a logic puzzle, a large beast) and add some stuff you can only get via Pokemon (the Pokeflute, the teleporters).

In the end, I hope you guys like what I came up with.

Review Notes: Someone mentioned there weren't alot of battles in this Book. The reason is that, to me, a Pokemon School would not have a lot of student battles in the first year, as that year is all about training your Pokemon. Book 2 will introduce more battles, including the Duelist Club and a wild battle in the Chamber of the Unown.

Some people have asked if I will introduce Pokemon that are exclusive to the Avalon Region. I am quite honestly torn on that... yes, I have tons of ideas for new Pokemon, but it doesn't seem right to introduce them where there are over 500 pokemon to play with from the real series. I will let you guys decide... but my answer right now is no, no original fakemon.


	20. The Beast with Two Faces

Harry knew in an instant.

It was Quirrell's eyes that gave him away. This was not the normal stare of the professor, the one all the students had become so use to. They weren't the watery orbs that were forever darting about, as if expecting an attack to come. There was no fear or caution in those eyes.

There was a hardness there, an intensity that made Harry feel as if he were caught in the hungry gaze of a ravenous Mightyena. The Pokemon Battle Professor looked upon Harry and the boy knew all at once that Quirrell did not see him as a student or a trainer or even a child; no, the man saw him as prey, something to rip apart and destroy.

Harry knew that look well.

The green-eyed man that had killed the Togekisses had held him in the same gaze.

"You're working with Snape and McGonagall?" Ron said in shock.

Quirrell let out a biting laugh that made the boys cringe. "Working with them? Even if I truly wanted to be a teacher at this pathetic little school I would have no desire to work with the likes of Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall. Why would I stoop so low as to welcome that slimy git and that worn out haradrim into my inner circle? The former should never be allow around children… even I can see that!... and the later should have left the game a long time ago." He took a step forward, a sneer forming on his lips. "What's wrong, children... does it surprise you to hear me not speaking like a st-st-st-stuttering fool?"

Prof. Quirrell began to circle them, Harry and Ron pressing closer to each other in a vain attempt to keep away from the turban-wearing man. Gone were the stilted, jerky movements they had come to know as Quirrell's personal quirks. He now moved with a grace and a strength that proved that he, at the very least, had gained his knowledge of battling not from a book but from actual experience. He tilted his head up, trying to appear casual but Harry saw instantly that the man never took his eyes off the two of them. He held them in his gaze, which made them both wilt like a flower on a hot summer's day.

"Of all the ones I expected to find down here... never did you cross my mind, Harry Potter. There were likely cannidates… and even if I were to pick a student who would have stumbled onto me it would not be my first choice to guess you. Of course, when I consider how you and I have circled each other this last year, it only makes sense, doesn't it? Predestined, I suppose… if one were to believe in such a thing."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked quietly.

Quirrell considered him for a moment, clearly trying to determine if the boy was attempting a fakeout. "Hmmm... of course you would not know; if your moronic friend here is any indication you believe Severus to be the source of all your misfortune." Quirrell's following laugh was a bitter sound that made the boys shudder. "If he is the bane of anyone, it is me. He has foiled my plans almost as much as you have."

The defense professor continued to pace, ticking off his points. "I would have had the Master Ball that day in the Pokecenter if Severus had not convinced that bearded fool Dumbledore to have his lumbering servant retrieve it first. Bringing it to Hogwarts complicated matters but I was already ahead of Dumbledore when Halloween came around. It was easy enough to capture those Golurks... you may not know it but I am an expert in their ways and habits... and unleashed them within the school. I was able to even deal with Nurse Joy's discovery of my precious Golurks and continue on with my mission." He whipped around, his mask of calm detachment slipping. "Then YOU had to get in the way! My Golurks were instructed to attack the Great Hall; the chaos they would have produced would have been enough to give me the time to secure the Master Ball... but you delayed them and ruined everything.

"Such action could not go unpunished, so I sent the Magnamite to end you. And again you refused to die, did you not? Severus realized that someone was making a play for the Master Ball and had Dumbledore send several of his Pokémon to guard the door, once more stopping me from obtaining my prize." Quirrell resumed his circling of the boys. "During the winter, while Severus and McGonagall worked to ensure all the traps they had set up to guard the ball were in place I began a new plan. Hogwarts contained so much knowledge... including some rather dark in nature. One such tome told me of the hearts of Togekisses... but as I secured them you arrived yet again, fate's pawn!"

Harry cringed, fear and embarrassment warring within him. As it was all laid out he saw just how big of a fool he had been and he wondered now how he had failed to see Quirrell. Of course, that is exactly what Quirrell had intended: to be the forgotten one, the one that all others dismissed and overlooked. It was a perfect disguise; once one got use to his stuttering and his nervous nature it was all too easy to disregard to Battle Teacher. This had allowed Quentin Quirrell to move in the light without fear.

"Why do you want the Master Ball?" Ron snapped, trying to rise up and confront the teacher.

"Why indeed?" another voice asked. The boys looked around, wondering where this new player was and why they couldn't see him. "Why indeed? Quirrell... let me see dear Harry."

"But master..." Quirrell whimpered, his bravado suddenly fading.

"Silence!" the voice growled. "I want to look into the boy's eyes… he has the same eyes as the woman that killed me."

Harry backed away, eyes wide with terror as Quirrell threw off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it aside. Ron was hyperventilating as Quirrell's bare chest was revealed in all its deformed glory. The skin and muscles of his chest and stomach were distorted and twisted, deep hollows over his pecs and a leering, sneering gash along his belly that twitched with every breath Quirrell took. Green light flickered and illuminated the holes, making it appear as if Quirrell's chest was some sort of demonic jack-o-lantern.

"That's… that's not possible," Harry whispered, backing away.

"Harry... Potter..." the face said, Quirrell grimacing in pain as his skin pulled taunt then went slack as the face spoke. "You see what you have done to me... what you have reduced me too? The greatest Pokémon Master forced to share the body of one of his whimpering servants. Your mother did this to me, boy. She ripped me away from my precious body and made me into the creature you now see."

"Vol... Voldemort," Ron whispered in terror.

"Good, little Weasley," Voldemort said, forcing Quirrell's body forward. "You are wiser than I thought, feeling fear." The twisted face stared at Harry, Quirrell squirming as his possessed flesh was forced to form a scowl. "But you... you don't really fear me, do you? No... no, you don't, not for the correct reasons, at the very least. You are startled, yes... frightened by my looks, definitely... but the name and deeds? They do not bring terror to you. You looked at me the same way that night... even after I killed your wretched father you watched me from you little crib as your mother struck me down."

Quirrell took a step closer and Harry and Ron scrambled back, wanting to keep as much distance as they could between them and the possessed professor. "But now, my dear boys... now you find yourselves trapped here with me. Bravery is to be commended as is fear... but it is obedience that I treasure most of all. I wonder if you will prove more intelligent than your parents and bow to your better."

Ron, despite his fear and pain, forced himself to stand a bit taller. "I... I never got to know my uncles. My mother loved them... she named my brothers after hers. You killed them in the last war for no reason other than they spoke out against you. You killed my family. So I could care less about obedience or what you desire... go to hell."

Harry nodded, his Pokeball already out. He stared at Quirrell, Voldemort's words echoing in his ears and he felt a sudden fire burst in his heart. It was the same rage that had driven him to stand up to Draco when he'd picked on his friends. Here was just another bully that was trying to hurt him and his friends... and he wasn't going to let him hurt another person.

"You did this to me," Harry said, sending out Eevee. "My entire life... you killed my parents, hurt my friends, threatened Hogwarts..." Harry squared his shoulders. "I will NEVER bow to you. I am Harry James Potter; my father was James Potter and my mother was Lily Potter... and like them, I will stop you! Eevee, Shadow Ball!"

"Dodou, peck," Quirrell said casually, sending out his Pokémon. Eevee let out a cry as he was struck by the attack. He weakly tried to stand, the gash on his side gushing blood on the floor. Harry moved to recall it but Quirrell leapt forward, gripping the 11 year old by the throat and hauling him up. "Did you think you and your little starter Pokémon could take me on? I have been training for YEARS! You have only begun to explore this world... you are a paper Arcanine against a storm." Dodou pressed his foot against Eevee's back, forcing the furry Pokemon to the ground. "Now... if you don't want to see your precious Pokémon die here in this room, you WILL help my Lord get the Master Ball."

"I... I..." Harry gasped, struggling to breath.

"You what? You will help me?" Voldemort taunted. "How noble of you Harry, helping those in need. You are indeed a good person... so much more so than Dumbledore. You do know this was all a trick, right?" Voldemort's face twisted into a mocking smile as Quirrell dropped Harry to the ground. The boy looked around, startled to find the Mirror of Jirachi standing before him. "You didn't, did you? Oh... oh how nobly foolish you are, boy. You thought you were so clever making it through those traps, didn't you? The Hoppips, the Snorlax, and teleporters. Do you really think that Albus Dumbledore would trust such easy traps, ones that a group of 11 year olds could defeat, to hold the Master Ball?"

"Then... then what were they?" Harry asked, rubbing his sore neck. He could see Ron trying to sneak over to Eevee, but Quirrell's Dodou never stopped keeping an eye on him. The bird Pokémon would alternate which head watched Ron, making it impossible for him to sneak up on the Pokémon.

"A hoax... a bluff," Quirrell taunted. "Dumbledore set them up to scare away his students... to keep them from reaching his real trap: this room." Quirrell held his arms out wide. "The perfect cage... not doors or windows... the only way to escape is wait for Dumbledore to stick his big nose in here and release me. Even if I had Pokémon strong enough to blast a hole through this rock I would find myself crushed by the waters of the lake." He waved his hand wildly at the Mirror of Jirachi. "After this damn thing failed to provide me the Master Ball I asked it for a way out... it showed me in chains, being led away from the Jennys. A fate I, nor my master, will submit too."

Voldemort took control of Quirrell's body, kicking Harry in the side. "But perhaps you will be different. Perhaps you're strong and your conviction will be enough to offer a new path to my freedom. Or perhaps you will be joining your pathetic excuse for parents sooner than you thought. Perhaps you will even help me discover where Dumbledore hid that blasted ball."

"Harry, don't!" Ron called out, only to yelp when Dodou pecked at him, nearly ripping his arm off.

"Don't!" Harry cried out. "Don't! I'll... I'll look."

"Look well and ask the right question, boy," Quirrell snapped. "Take too long and I might just decide to slate my boredom with your Pokémon and friend's blood."

Harry nodded, staring at the mirror. The surface swirled, just like it did when he looked at it during the Winter Break. He could feel Voldemort/Quirrell looming behind him, waiting for the image to appear that would grant him his freedom. Harry could see in his mind's eye Ron sitting behind him, nursing the wound that Dodou had given him, his face as red as his hair as he was forced to watch as Voldemort threatened them both. He tried to push this all away, to focus on the task he didn't want to complete but needed too; he knew that if he failed to provide Voldemort with the answer he sought then his life was forfeit.

He watched as the image of himself appeared, a smile on his face as he brushed his hand against his pocket. Harry didn't understand how it was possible, but the moment his reflection made the move Harry felt something settle in his pocket and instantly knew this was the Master Ball in its reduced form, waiting for him to enlarge it.

"Well Mr. Potter?" Quirrell sneered. "We're all waiting. How do we escape? Produce an answer quickly... you don't have much time left." The unsaid threat was clear to Harry and the weight of the Master Ball in his pocket seemed more like an anchor dragging him down into the icy depths. The boy fumbled for some way to prevent Quirrell and Voldemort from getting the ball without risking him, his friend, or his Pokémon's life.

Harry's brow furrowed as he watched his reflection... duck.

"HARRY, GET DOWN!"

Harry fell to the ground, the mirror spinning up and smashing Quirrell in the mouth. The Battle Teacher's Dodou let out a squawk, only to be silenced when a blast of dark energy struck it in the chest, sending it toppling down. Quirrell leapt up, fury clearly written on his features as he faced down the one that dared interfere.

"Dumbledore," Quirrell snarled.

"Quintin," Dumbledore said sadly as his Sableye prepared for its next attack, "I am sorry I failed you."

"Failed me? Have you finally gone senile, old man?"

"No, Quentin, I fear it is you that has lost his senses. I do not know what brought you to make this choice and serve this wraith; I can only hope that you did it unwillingly."

Quirrell stood a bit taller as he recalled Dodou and sent out one of the Golurks he had claimed to have beaten back last Halloween. The great ghost Pokémon towered over the headmaster, its fist rising high up in a threatening manner, daring the old man to attempt an escape. "I joined with my master willingly. He has already escaped death and his mastery of this world is unparrelled! His power flows through me and together we will rebuild Team Nocturne and bring Avalon to its knees! Golurk, Thunder Punch!"

Sableye leapt in front of Dumbledore and took the attack directly, flying across the room and slamming into the wall. Any joy Quirrell might have taken from one-uping Albus Dumbledore was short-lived, as Sableye was already lunching itself forward, claws out at it flew towards Golurk. The Shadow Claw attack struck true and the great clay Pokémon fell to one knee and several of its copper clasps were ripped away.

"I had wondered if the madness that now plagues you had began before or after your bonding with the wraith... I see now it was clearly before." Albus, seeing that Quirrell was making a move to get near Harry, stepped in front of the boy, shielding him with his own body. "That wraith will never share power, Quirrell! You have taken him on believing you would hold chains of strength but instead they are the strings with which your puppet master will control you."

"You lie!" Quirrell shouted with all the fervor of a zealot. "I will be his second in command! No longer will the name Quentin Quirrell be looked down upon with deriding sneers! All will worship me or die!"

"And how to you propose to gain such power?" Dumbeldore asked. "Sableye, Night Shade!" The gem ghost nodded, attacking Golurk with more ferocity while Dumbledore engaged Quirrell in a war of words. "There is only one Master Ball, Quentin... and let me assure you that there is no way to make another. Silph assured me that there will only ever be one true Master Ball... and I doubt your Lord will share."

Quirrell laughed so hard that Harry wondered if the man had slipped into insanity upon hearing Dumbledore's declaration. His next words blew that theory out of the water... as well as many others.

"You honestly think we came here for the Master Ball to use it? No no... the power of that ball is not what it can do but what allows it to achieve such power. I studied the Master Ball legends all year and now know it is not the heart of a Togekiss or a Steelix's eye polished to a perfect shine... no, the secret within that- AAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Enough of your talk, you fool!" Voldemort snarled, Quirrell doubling over in pain as the wraith took control of the Battle professor's arms and legs. "You have your doubts, don't you, Albus? You wonder if this is not some trick… it can not be that Lord Voldemort returns. You are thinking that right now, aren't you? You are puzzling over in that brain of yours just how this all came to pass and trying to find the falsehood that will prove it all to be lies.

"There are none. I am Lord Voldemort, head of Team Nocturne, and I will have what is mine. Death could not stop me, your traps could not stop me, and your skill will not stop me!

"You always knew me so well, Albus," Voldemort taunted. "A pity more fools like Quirrell do not listen to your words... if they thought as you do I would have never achieved the power I did in my first life. Lucky for me... Avalon is full of moronic, greedy dreamers like Quirrell here, who make my existence so much easier." Quirrell, his face ashen as he realized Dumbledore was right, could not even cry out as Voldemort forced his body forward. "I will have the Master Ball, either freely or coated in your blood!"

Dumbledore didn't have a chance to prepare himself and was taken by surprise at the speed Voldemon/Quirrell moved. The headmaster was knocked aside and Harry let out a gurgle as Quirrell's hands wrapped around his throat once more, strangling him.

"The ball! I know that damn mirror showed you how to retrieve it! Give it to me! Give it to me!" Harry clawed at the hands that ensnared his throat, his vision darkening and his head growing heavy as the bony fingers pressed harder and harder into the soft skin of his neck. He could hear a roaring in his ears, making it so even Voldemort's words were impossible to hear and Harry numbly let his hands fall to the wayside. "Will you let your pet die, Albus? If he will not answer you will… or I will snap his neck like-"

"Powder Snow!"

Pain burst through the darkness and Harry let out a violent gasp as cool air struck his lungs like daggers. It hurt every time he took a breath but he wasn't able to stop taking in mouthful after mouthful of precious air. His throat burned and he rolled away only to flop on the floor like a landed fish, struggling to regain control of himself.

He twisted his head and stared at the strange sight before him, wondering if the lack of oxygen was making him see things. Quirrell was lying on the ground, his head not visible through the thick ice that covered it. His hands were clawing at the frozen prison but Harry could tell that it was useless. The professor's fingernails were torn from his fingers as he tried to scratch bloody tracks in the ice, deperate to free himself. Voldemort was screaming in outrage, trying to regain control of his puppet's body but finding the pain Quirrell was suffering from was too much and let him override Voldemort's control.

It would be the last act he would ever perform in this life.

Harry turned his eyes away from Quirrell's still form, gazing at Cubchoo and Ron, both of whom stood behind Quirrell with shocked looks on their faces. It was clear that the attack's deadly effect was not what they had planned.

Dumbledore lifted Harry up, cradling the boy as he watched purple miasma drift from Quirrell's chest. The green eyes and mouth that had been on the professor's chest appeared for a moment, surrounded by a swirl of green orbs, and the cloud let out a furious scream before rocking out of the chamber.

Harry, for the third time since coming to Hogwarts, passed out.

* * *

Author's Notes: And there we have it.

I know there are going to be some people that scream about Voldemort appearing. I have been doing real good about not having magic in this story and keeping the Harry Potter cast grounded in the Pokemon universe... and now I just introduced Voldemort's wraith. However, if you read between the lines you will see all is not as it seems. The whole story isn't hidden there but there is definitely at least two clues that will allude to what I have planned.

Now, I did obviously change things and I wonder what you guys all think of it. I came up with an explanation for the traps, gave Dumbledore a chance to be heroic, and gave Ron a reason for making it to the end instead of being taken out.

Some might complain that Harry got taken out too quickly... the fact of the matter is that Harry was facing a trainer with 20 years on him... he never stood a chance. Time, however, will give Harry an edge... as will the support team that I am building for him. This Harry will have a whole group of people, both from the Harry Potter world, the Pokemon world, and OCs, that will aid him and help make him into the Knight of Avalon who will face down the darkness that is coming.

One more note, because no one has noticed it: Other than Golurks, all of Quirrell's pokemon gained at least one extra head when they evolved.

The next chapter will end this book and this story will be marked as complete. Please make sure to follow me so you don't miss out of The Chamber of the Unown.


	21. The Way Home

It was a strange collection of faces that greeted Harry as he awoke.

Hermione was shouting something while Ron shook his shoulder so hard Harry thought his head would snap off. Neville stood off to the side with Flora, Prof. McGonagall's hand resting on his shoulder as she looked down at Harry with a slight smile. Hagrid was kneeling next to the bed, the broken remains of the poor chair he'd sat in scattered on the ground. Nurse Joy was fretting over the heart monitor and trying to get the group to back away with very little success.

"EEVEE!"

Harry let out an 'oompf!' as his Pokémon leapt onto the boy's chest, licking his face with his rough tongue. He heard two whooshing sounds and found Ludwig helping Togepi onto the bed; the baby Pokémon toddled to him and wrapped her chubby little arms around his head and gave him the tiniest hug he'd ever received.

"It does my old heart good to see you awake, Harry," Prof. Dumbledore said, the crowd parting so he could walk up to the boy. The headmaster looked down at him, his eyes twinkling. "I suppose you have many questions... and it is my duty to give you some answers."

The headmaster began by filling in the blanks in the events that had occurred three days before. When Flora and Neville had activated the teleporters they'd landed in a special classroom that was only a few doors down from the Great Hall. They had gotten quite a fright when Prof. McGonagall finally arrived, though Prof. Dumbledore had eased their worries once he entered behind the deputy headmistress. At first they had believed that Neville had been playing around in the room and activated the failsafe; Harry was shocked to learn that 21 over students had made it as far as they did and Dumbledore believed that over 100 attempts had been made to reach the final room.

"Young Ronald's brothers Fred and George contributed nearly half of those attempts," Dumbledore said with a chuckle even as McGonagall snorted in annoyance. "But rest assure all four houses were represented in our little collection."

When Hermione had teleported into the room, babbling about the path and knowing she had figured it out, the headmaster had become concerned and hurried to check to see if any of the systems that were monitoring the true teleporter pad had been tripped. Finding that not only had Harry and Ron managed to make it into the final room but another, Dumbledore had sprung into action, retrieving the return pad that would let him escape the room and teleporting himself in just as Harry had solved the final puzzle.

"I don't understand how this ended up in my pocket," Harry said, fiddling with the Master Ball. Dumbledore had set the ball on Harry's lap, reasoning that the boy had nearly died protecting it and thus deserved to at least see it with his own two eyes. Harry marveled at the ball, wondering how something so small could result in so much greed and pain. The bottom was the same as any other Pokéball while the top was a pinkish purple; the only thing of real interest was that the M that lay just above the activation button was in fact a stone that appeared to have formed naturally in that shape rather than being cut.

It was rather anticlimactic, actually. The Master Ball was not that impressive; he thought Ron's IceMelter or his mother's ShadowFlame balls were more interesting than the so-called Ultimate Pokéball. He felt no sense of power within the ball; not jolt when he picked it up, no feeling of invincibility when he squeezed it against his palm. Had he not know what it was he would have assumed it to be like any other ball... or perhaps even the lesser of some. Yet, for all it lacked in grandeur it was clear that the ball had a siren's song that drove many to seek out its power. It was not the ball itself but its allure that drew so many to try and claim it.

Prof. Dumbledore smiled, watching as Harry fiddled with the ball, his disappointment in the Master Ball clearly written on his face. "You see, Harry, I never meant to guard the Master Ball. My friend Nicholas originally planned to take the ball farther, perhaps to Kalos, in hopes that he might find a place to safely hide it and let the Master Ball return to legend once more. He knew that as long as it lay in a region where its legend was known it would not be safe." The headmaster let out a sigh, shoulders slumping a bit. "Sadly, Prof. Quirrell, who we now know was in league with that wraith-" he held up his hand when Hermione opened her mouth, "we will discuss Voldemort soon enough, Miss Granger." He turned his attention back onto Harry and continued the tale. "Sadly, Prof. Quirrell managed to overhear whispers about the master ball and began to put a plan into action to claim it for his master.

"I do not know how he sensed it, but Nicholas came to realize that his cargo had been learned of by the wrong people. Fearing that the might of the Josephs would not be enough to protect the Master Ball, Nicholas begged me to take the ball. I did so with the greatest reluctance, knowing that I was inviting danger to Hogwarts, but I too feared what would happen if our foe obtained the ball. I slept hardly a wink wrestling with my decision and it is only tonight, at long last, that I think I will finally get some much needed rest."

The headmaster shook his head, eyes twinkling. "But I have lost the plot, haven't I? Upon Hagrid's arrival with the ball I made plans to transport it back to Nicholas. It is a good thing that it took so long to finalize these plans, as I learned a week into the school year that someone, who we now know was Prof. Quirrell, had paid a gang of trainer to observe any group leaving the school and attack if there was a chance they had the Master Ball. I could no longer send a teacher to rid us of the Master Ball. No Pokémon would ever consent to carrying the ball," he gestured towards Harry's Pokémon, who were backing away from the Master Ball and eyeing it warily. It was as if they sensed the power within and did not want to be close to it. "And I refused to involve the students... so a new plan was made."

"The traps," Harry said.

"Prof. Dumbledore, there is something I still don't understand." Hermione tried to think of the best way to word her issue, not wanting to upset and insult the headmaster. "Why were the traps so... easy? Tiny seemed threatening but once you knew which door to use he was easy to get around. The same was true with the Hoppips and the teleporters. We were able to get through them easily!"

Prof. Dumbledore smiled. "They were easy because I needed them to be easy. I have taught young trainers for many years now and if there is one thing I know it is telling them not to go someplace only invites them to go to that very place!" Dumbledore laughed at his own joke and Nurse Joy, McGonagall and Hagrid joined; the children didn't think the joke was funny at all, since it was made indirectly at them, and decided not to join in. "I could not risk NOT saying something, as the second thing children are likely to do is to explore. It would do no good to just pretend the traps weren't there, only to have a trainer stumble upon Tiny's room and begin spreading rumors about the Snorlax I had hidden on the third floor.

"I made the rooms just hard enough to eliminate nearly all the students that faced their 'perils' without risking serious harm. They might get a scare or a bruise but nothing life threatening. When they were dumped in that classroom one of the professors would give them a detention and a talking to but that was more for them being out past curfew. No, the traps were never designed to harm... just distract. They allowed me to protect the Master Ball and give the students something to brag about; they could proclaim they had been on the 3rd floor and yet not know what truly lied there."

"But what about Voldemort?" Neville asked, clearly upset about what Ron and Harry had faced. "He clearly was able to get through all the traps!"

"He merely got through my false ones. It was the only true trap that I set that he sprung." Dumbledore turned once more to look at Harry, the boy squirming under that sharp gaze. "Once he passed into that room he was trapped and I know for a fact he would never have been able to get out of that final trap or obtain the Master Ball."

Dumbledore reached over and patted Harry's hand. "I asked the Mirror of Jirachi how I might go about protecting the Master Ball. It showed me pressing it against the mirror's surface and when I did so the ball entered the mirror. I was then shown how to retrieve it and instantly knew there would be no way for any thief to claim it." Cradling Harry's hands in his own, Dumbledore slowly closed them over the Master Ball. "The Mirror would only give up the Master Ball to one that did not want it. Only a trainer who respected Pokémon and thus would never dishonor them by capture with the Master Ball would be able to claim it as their own. I knew that any who would desire the ball would be unable to take it. It also worked as a failsafe, lest I become tempted to ever use it. Do not give me that look," he wagged his head, his beard twitching as he did so. "Yes, I could have easily fallen prey to the Master Ball. Power corrupts and Nicholas had placed within my hands great power and great temptation. I would not have been the first man in history to be given something of great power and claim it as their own." He shook his head sadly. "I understand why humanity has been compelled to create such a thing but still find it distasteful."

"Professor," Hermione said, fidgeting slightly in her chair, "that wasn't really Voldemort, was it? He's gone and that... that was just something else, pretending to be him. It was a ghost Pokémon or an illusion or-"

The headmaster stroked his beard. "Miss Granger, I wish I could believe that as strongly as you due. However, my life has been a long one and I have seen many things... things that should never have been. Voldemort was one of the most powerful and ruthless trainers our world has ever known... and if there is one man that could find a way to cheat death, it would be him." Dumbledore sighed. "Prof. Quirrell was not the first to be fooled by his honeyed words and even now, in his diminished state, he will be able to cause much harm to Avalon and all those that dwell here."

"Imagine if he had gotten the Master Ball," Ron exclaimed, shuddering in horror at the thought. Harry could see in his friend's eyes that he was still troubled by his actions in that chamber, and the cruel actions he'd been forced to take. But the knowledge that his actions, though terrible, had prevented a worst tragedy, was a balm for his soul. "He could have had any Pokémon he wished!"

"Yes, Ronald, indeed." Harry's brow furrowed and he wounded for a moment if it was his imagination that made him detect a hint of... deflection in the headmaster's words. Voldemort's taunting words, about how he sought the power within the ball rather than the ball itself, echoed in the boys ears. Were those just the lies of a madman? Or was there a hidden truth there?

Dumbledore gently removed the Master Ball from Harry's fingers, considering it for a moment before shrinking it back down and returning it to the safety of his pocket.

Prof. McGonagall rose up, lips pressed in a firm line as she placed her hands on Hermione and Ron's shoulders. "Now, I believe we should allow Mr. Potter a chance to rest." The children, and Hagrid, all let out whines of protest but McGonagall sheparded them away, promising they could visit the boy in the morning. Harry was only now aware that it was night out; the stars hung heavy in the sky, shining down upon Avalon and all that dwelled there.

"Professor?" Harry asked softly, drawing the old trainer back to his bedside. "Sir... what will happen to the Master Ball now?"

Dumbledore looked down at the boy before settling down on the bed, patting Harry on the shoulder. "Anyone else I would lie to, Harry. It is nothing against anyone else... it is myself and my fear of what could happen... what has happened... because of idle words that were said in what others thought was confidence..." Dumbledore trailed off, folding his hands in his lap. "It is only because you've proven to hold no desire for the Master Ball that I'll explain its fate... perhaps it will help ease my own weariness to share it with another.

"While it is not itself evil, the power the ball holds drives others to evil. You may not believe me but Prof. Quirrell was once a good man and I do not think it was Voldemort's influence alone that drove him towards evil. Power is not evil... but it gives evil the opening it needs to infect others. I have found that power in all forms merely... brings out the best and the worst in all of us." He shut his eyes and an aura of sadness settled upon the headmaster. "Voldemort was himself good once. No man is born evil. But power corrupted him and brought out his darkness. Your mother too had power, as did your father... and it made them all the better. They became beacons of light, the likes of which we have not seen in this region for years. To them power and strength pushed them to better not only themselves but the world.

"The Master Ball holds the promise of ultimate power. To leave it anyone's hands, even mine, for too long is to offer too great a temptation to use it. Once it is used I fear the power will never be able to be held back. What use is strategy when one can simply throw a ball and capture a Pokémon."

Dumbledore paused, placing his hand on Eevee's head and stroking the little Pokémon's head. Ludwig and Togepi watched on, both wondering why the bearded human had stopped talking. "Worse... I fear for what the bond between trainer and Pokémon would become if capturing these magnificent creatures became too easy. Already there are people in this world that see Pokémon as little more than tools to be owned. The bond between mankind and Pokémon has weakened over the years... so many of the ancient arts have been lost. Only a handful of trainers nowadays possess the skill the become Pokemagnus. The Dream World was only rediscovered in Unova a few years ago and yet we know from ancient texts that it was used heavily by our ancestors. Speakers are few and far between and because of the Johto/Kanto War many view it as wicked; even the knowledge that your mother was one is not enough to prevent trainers from attempting to learn that art... and they miss out on the wonders it brings about.

"Perhaps I shouldn't be so negative; even Team Nocturne, for all their faults, respected Pokémon. But if the Master Ball's secrets were uncovered, I fear the surge of those that would see our friends and partners as little more than living weapons to be caught, used and discarded."

Harry shuddered that this. Pokémon had been his salvation from a life of pain and loneliness; the mere thought that they might be treated little better than a cup sickened him.

"It is the good and the bad in life that creates the bonds of friendship and love, Harry. Every battle you fight with these three Pokémon, win or lose, strengthens that bond. When you fail you work together to overcome and find new partners to help you achieve your dreams. When you win... well, the victory is all the more sweeter when you have Pokémon to stand with and celebrate. The Master Ball, through no fault of its own, takes away much of this. No more battling... no more need to spend long nights with Togepi teaching it a new move or to help Ludwig evolve when you can just go to dangerous areas, catch a wild Pokémon who holds great strength, and use them like a battering ram. No connection, no friendship, no love... this is what the Master Ball could bring about."

Harry reached out, drawing Eevee towards him and hugging him close. Togepi toddled over, Ludwig hovering overhead to ensure the little one didn't fall, and both Pokémon joined the hug. Harry thought of what his life would be like if he did not have these three in it and found that it would be no different than thinking about what life would be like after losing a limb. They had become his friends just as much as Ron, Neville and Hermione had.

"Professor, why not just destroy the ball?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It is not the ball's fault that men wish to use it for evil. The Master Ball is power and as I reminded you, power can bring out the best and worst in people. I pray for a day when a trainer will be able to use its powers for good. I fear, however, that I will not see that in my lifetime."

Dumbledore reached over and scratched Eevee under his chin. "I decided that Prof Quirrell will be allowed to perform one last good deed to help untarnished his name." When Harry looked at the headmaster in confusion the old man took pity and elaborated. "Only those that were in the room know what happened. I will let the world think that Quirrell, in his death throws, destroyed the Master Ball. Those that would seek its power will either give up trying to obtain it or turn their attention to other methods. Meanwhile, Nicholas Silph, who is arriving in a few hours, will take the ball and under the disguise of grief that his masterpiece was destroyed, will take it far north and, I can only hope, finally achieve his dream of seeing the Master Ball placed somewhere it can wait until the world is ready for its power."

Harry let out a yawn and the headmaster gently patted his shoulder. Eevee and Togepi clearly had no plans to return to their balls; they both settled in next to Harry while Ludwig hung overhead, shining a muted light over his trainer to ward away any bad dreams.

"Goodnight, Harry," Prof. Dumbledore said softly, leaving the boy to his much-earned rest.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Hmmm," Prof. Snape said, leaning down to examine the contents of the bowl Dean and Seamus were working on. "Quite atrocious... but I suppose consideration must be made for the fact that you are Gryffindors and thus little can be expected of you. At least you managed to make it the right color." Dean lifted up his stirrer and Snape glowered at the thick, sticky liquid that clung to the piece of metal; the potion was suppose to be water-like is texture and consistency. "D."

The two friends grinned, sharing a secret high-five when Snape's back was turned. A D was better than they expected.

Life had returned to normal for Harry Potter. After being released from the infirmary he had been able to return to his studies and, much to his liking, avoid grand adventures. People still looked at him funny, of course... even mores' now that the rumors of him and Prof. Quirrell had begun to circulate. Some claimed the professor had dragged him down there to do some unspeakable things and he'd ended up punching the professor in the twig and berries so hard Quirrell had died from the pain. Others whispered that Quirrell had inducted Harry into a secret organization known as The Skull and Cubones, which would allow him to have access to the strongest Pokémon imaginable. The funniest rumor had been from Fred and George: they were trying to convince anyone that would listen Harry was a wizard and had battled Quirrell in a duel for something called the Elder Wand.

The 11-year old had laughed for 10 minutes hearing that one.

He'd also eaten his fair share of Murkrow. He'd apologized profusely to Prof. McGonagall, ashamed that he had forgotten how kind she'd been during his first night at Hogwarts and automatically assumed she was dangerous

_"Mr. Potter, I want you to know that I will always be on your side and if you are ever find yourself in a situation like this again all I ask if that you talk to me first." _She'd smiled after a moment and Harry had felt a shiver of dread go up his spine. _"But let me assure you that you were quite correct... I am quite dangerous."_

"Hmmpf," Snape grunted as he examined Ron and Harry's potion. "I would claim that you had cheated in some way, seeing as this is well beyond the abilities you have shown as you muddled your way through my class... but the fact that it is not nearly at the level of Miss Granger's mixture, which I assume means Mr. Longbottom had no hand in helping with it," Neville had the decency to look down and blush, "and superior to the rest of the dunderheads you call classmates, I must accept that you somehow managed to brew a... below average potion. C-."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, eyes wide in surprise.

"Do not thank me, Potter. This is still an utter failure and you have wasted my time. I pity the poor Pokémon that one day might have to slurp down your bitter potions. If it were in my power I would have you banned from ever crushing another berry, as not even fruit deserves to suffer the fate of being used by your clumsy hands. You only have the sheer ineptitude of the rest of your little Gryffindors to thank for your marks."

Ron and Harry shared secret smiles as Snape moved on to Draco and Pansy, his praise for their potion (which was clearly the same quality as theirs) was not heard as the boys silently congratulated themselves.

When the bell finally rang the students hurried out of the cold potions lab, chattering happily amongst themselves. With Battle Tactics being forced to end prematurely, what with their professor ending up with his head frozen, Prof. Dumbledore had taken it upon himself to test the students and supply them with their grades. All four of them had known that Harry would do great but, to their surprise, the rest of the group had done nearly as well.

_"Is it any surprise?" _Dumbledore had said with a smile after Ron and Cubchoo managed to defeat the training Spearow. _"You four have learned much during your time here and proven yourselves capable in situations far worse than this little test challenged you with. Everything is connected... and even lessons that appear to have nothing to do with Pokémon Battles offer a chance to improve."_

The only dark spot had been when Ron had managed to get a better grade than Hermione in Pokéball Making. She had known it was coming but the way Ron had casually breezed through the final exam (creating a Fast Ball with no instructional guide) had left the bushy-haired girl practically stomping her feet in outrage. Ron had also managed to calm her frustration by pointing out that while he might be better at the skill naturally Hermione knew how everything came together and that was just, if not more, useful.

In the end the four friends had decided to simply celebrate all their accomplishments while keeping in mind they had a long, long way to go before they could be considered mature trainers.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Toki!" Togepi exclaimed as she clapped her hands. Eevee lazily yawned as he watched Ludwig hover around the baby Pokémon, delighting the little one by changing his flame to different colors.

Harry watched his three Pokémon interact, a smile blossoming on his face at the sight. The final meal in the Great Hall was winding down and Harry's Pokémon, having sated their own hunger and made sure that Harry ate enough (he rolled his eyes at that; even his Pokémon were giving him a hard time for being too skinny), decided to play while waiting for Professor Dumbledore to make his final speech of the year.

Harry marveled at how all of their Pokémon had bonded not just with their trainers but with each other. Ralts and Snorunt had easily become friends; both stuck close to Hermione but having another Pokémon around allowed the two too slowly venture out into the world. Snover (now named Sam by Neville; he'd stated it was an homage to a cartoon snowman) was still a trickster who enjoyed startling people, especially in the common room, but Flora's stern leadership had the grass/ice type behaving like a soldier whenever Neville needed him.

While Scabbers had never bonded to Ron like the boy had hopped Ron did not feel left out now that he had Cubchoo. The two were very similar: they loved to eat a lot, they both laughed at the disgusting uses Cubchoo had for its mucus, and they both liked using that last similarity to gross Hermione and the other girls in Gryffindor out. Harry also suspected that the two of them were leaning on each other, finding support and comfort in their companionship. Both had played a role in the death of Quirrell and Harry caught Ron, at times, staring off in the distance. Hermione had become worried that Ron was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and researched the disease for a week; in the end she'd been forced to concede that the best thing they could do for Ron and Cubchoo was to be there for them; they would press when needed but otherwise pull back and let the boy and his Pokémon come to them.

Harry's team had become a family in every sense of the word. Togepi was clearly the baby and placed her role up to a hilt. While none of them were sure what exactly had done it, Harry knew in his heart that seeing Quirrell, the man that had killed Togepi's parents, eliminated... well, it had removed whatever block kept Togepi from expressing her joy. She wasn't as giggly as most Togepi and probably never would be, and she had let to do any more than quirk her lips up slightly, but for Harry that was enough.

Ludwig had become the mother hen of the group, constantly watching over the other Pokémon and Harry. The boy would wake up to find Ludwig floating around Togepi's pokéball, making sure the baby hadn't toddled away before going back to sleep. The candle ghost was also the one that spent the most time nudging Harry to eat more and get more meat on his bones. It was annoying at times but Harry couldn't conjure up the frustration to tell Ludwig to stop.

Eevee was Eevee. He was Harry's first Pokémon and the two fed off each other. When Harry felt like lounging around Eevee would happily lay on his stomach and join him in an afternoon nap. When Harry wanted to run around the perimeter of the island just to burn off some energy, Eevee was right beside him, barking out encouragement. They worked together, played together, learned together and lived together.

Yes... yes... Harry might not have had a family before he came to Avalon, but her certainly had one now.

Prof. Dumbledore stood up, calling for quiet. The students, realizing that the sooner they let the headmaster speak the sooner they could return to the festivities, grew silent, with only the occasional chirp of a Pokémon to pierce the quiet that greeted the bearded headmaster.

"Another year. Another year. Many people have come up to me after leaving this place and asked me what year was my favorite. There must be one, after all... there must be a group of students that outshone all others and make me look back fondly among them. I suppose some of you believe that I could never view this class as the best, considering some of the troublemakers I am forced to deal with." Fred and George stood up and bowed, earning a round of laughter from the students and groans from the teachers since they couldn't exactly threaten the boys with detention. "Others must believe that you are my favorite, if only because you are here right now." Dumbledore swept his eyes over the students. "Let me state, for the record and for the history books... that I have loved every student that has come to this island. In each of you I see the future of Avalon and the mere fact that I have played a small role in your development means more to me than you could possibly imagine. So many seek out their destinies and dream grand dreams... I have found more joy in helping others find their dreams then any achievement could have given me."

The Headmaster raised his glass. "And thus I thank you, all of you... and wish you well on wherever your journey takes you."

The sound of glasses clicking together filled the Great Hall.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Make sure you text me every day, Harry!" Hermione said, wagging her finger at him.

"I don't know if I'll have the time, what with you sending me a text every hour." The boy laughed at his friend as she stuck her tongue out at him. She paused as she made her way onto the Hogwart's Express, turning and giving him a wave.

"Mate, if you don't like what the headmaster has set up you can give me a ring anytime and I'll come runnin'." Ron leaned in, whispering, "I'll even steal my da's car if I have to." He smirked. "Don't worry... I'll blame it on Fred and George."

Harry nodded, shaking hands with Ron. "Thanks, mate."

Neville awkwardly patted Harry on the back. Considering how he had been their first day at Hogwarts, this was quite an improvement. "Have a great summer, Harry."

"Bulba!"

"Thanks Flora, thanks Neville." Harry waved goodbye to his friends as they hurried onto the train, ignoring the callous remarks Draco was making as he too boarded the express. He remained rooted to his spot, waving and calling out goodbye as the train chugged away, leaving him, the headmaster, and a few professors on the platform.

"Do not worry, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You will see them again."

"And mark my words, my boy, your summer will be filled with quite some adventure and excitement... the time will fly by." Dumbledore checked his dex and nodded. "Hmmm... late as always. Just like when he was a boy."

"Professor?" Harry asked softly. "Who... who did you get to take me in?" Harry had thought long and hard about that, each day coming up with a new answer. He'd imagined spending the summer with each of his friends, or perhaps another Gryffindor who was an only child. He'd even had a nightmare of being sent to live with Draco... and a rather strange dream where he stayed with Snape and the professor actually treated him with kindness.

Prof. Dumbledore kneeled down, looking Harry directly in the eye. "Do you remember how I told you that many people in Avalon fought to have Surrey turn you over into their care?" The young boy nodded. "One who fought the hardest was a young man who went to this school... in fact, he was one of your father's best friends. The loss of your mother and father broke him, but being unable to see you sent him into despair. He has been traveling the world for quite some time but when he received my note about you he knew he had to return." Dumbledore looked past Harry's shoulder and smiled. "Ah, there he is."

A man was hurrying across the platform, his luggage clutched in his hand. Beside him a Zorua scampered about, the fox-Pokémon's keen eyes scanning the platform. Spotting Harry, Zorua let out a bark and raced towards him, leaping into his arms, licking the boy's face. Eevee growled a bit but remained in place beside Harry.

"Leave him be!" the man called out, though his tone was light and full of mirth. "Bloody hell, he doesn't remember you, buddy! You're probably scaring him!"

Harry wasn't scared. He looked at the man, with his light hair and mustache, his face marked with several scars from fierce Pokémon battles. The man should have been a frightening sight but Harry found comfort in the man and his appearance, though he could not say why. It was as if the man were from some dream he had forgotten and now whisps of it were returning to him.

"Harry..." the man said, almost reverently. He'd clearly thought long and hard about what he wanted to say and now, faced with the boy who looked so much like James... save for his brilliant green eyes... the man found there was only one thing he could say. "My... my name is Remus Lupin... and I have been looking for you for a long time."

And that's when he remember. The image from the Mirror of Jirachi, one of the men that had stood behind him, cloaked in shadows... this was him.

Harry didn't need to hear anything else. He leapt into Remus' arms, relishing the hug the man gave him.

He had searched for him.

He wanted him.

Harry was home.

**The End**

_Harry Potter will return in 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of the Unown'_

* * *

Author's Notes: And thus ends Book One of the 'Harry Potter: Pokemon Master' series.

I honestly never expected this fic to get as much love and devotion as it has gotten. Sometimes I wonder if I am writing the same thing you guys are reading. I am just thrilled you all are delighting in the world I've created here.

First, a few comments about this chapter: Yes, Remus is going to take care of Harry. With him not being a werewolf, there is nothing to stop Remus from being a part of Harry's life now. I have stated to some reviewers that my goal with this story is to give Harry a support team, one full of people he can depend on. Remus will play a major part of that, even if he is off screen for months at a time (since he can't always be at Harry's side).

People may have noticed that Snape isn't as... bastardy as he is in some stories. I wanted to create a Snape who is complex... and a Snape who's life has changed from the one we know. There are some major twists coming about Snape that will explain why there isn't as much hatred in him for Harry as there are in some stories. That said, the line about Harry living with Snape is a reference to Harry's New Home.

Now, some comments about this story as a whole.

I can trace much of the origin of this story to a series of pictures on Deviant Art. An artist, i forget who, did a series where he drew the Avengers with pokemon. What made these pics great were the stories behind them: Cap had a bravary and when he was unfrozen the grandson of that Bravairy became his partner. The Hulk only had cute pokemon like Togepi and Jigglypuff because Banner knew they would calm him down and the Hulk would never hurt them. Stuff like that.

I love the idea of taking characters from one series and inserting them into another. This wasn't a mere "Hey, what if the Avengers had Pokémon!". The artist took the time to actually think out a story, find reasons for them to have the Pokémon they did, and give a wonderful backstory. I decided I wanted see if anyone had done that with Harry Potter, as it seemed like it would lend itself well to the same idea... not a lot of luck. There were fics... but not the kind I wanted to read. Ones where Harry becomes a Mew or is raised by Ash… but nothing like what I was looking for.

And thus, how it always is for me... I had to make the fic myself.

I hope you've all enjoyed this story and I hope you leave a ton of reviews for me to look through. I love reading your comments and getting back to you.

And please remember to follow me, as that will be the only way you know 'Chamber of the Unown' is up.

Again, thanks for reading!


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